Did Boris Johnson really ask to plan raid on Dutch Covid vaccine factory?

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson reportedly asked the security services to chalk out plans to raid the Dutch Covid vaccine factory in Leiden.

UK-based Daily Mail newspaper reported citing diplomatic sources that Johnson made the call after saying the EU "stole" millions of AstraZeneca doses destined for Britain during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Notably, the AstraZeneca vaccine was produced at two locations in the EU – the Netherlands and Belgium.

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The report added that the idea was dropped as the diplomats apparently warned that such an action would jeopardise the relations between both countries.

The report added that Johnson will bring up the incident when he testifies this week before an inquiry into the British government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sources told Daily Mail that the EU had "basically sequestered" and "impounded" five million doses of the vaccine.

One of the sources was quoted as saying, "Of course, the PM was enraged – they were putting British lives at risk to make a political point and distract from their own failings".

"He ordered officials to look at all options for responding, and that did include asking the security services to look at whether there were any options for physically going and taking the vaccines from the Netherlands and bringing them here," the source added.

As quoted, a second source said of the raid: "Boris was infuriated, as you would expect, and he wanted to look at every avenue for responding. It went well beyond trade retaliation; it was diplomatic, security, and everything. He felt he was fighting for British lives and at one point he did ask whether there were military options for just going and getting these vaccines.

"Obviously, that would have had major repercussions, not least in terms of other vaccine supplies that were being manufactured in the EU. I don't know how far the idea got," the source added.

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Did the Netherlands warn to block shipments?

Dutch government officials told Politico.eu in March 2021 that the Netherlands was prepared to halt shipments of AstraZeneca's Covid jabs if Britain did not agree to share vaccines more fairly with the EU.

(With inputs from agencies)