LONDON – In a startling revelation, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson disclosed that he had once ordered military chiefs to devise a plan to raid a Dutch factory in a bid to secure 5 million COVID-19 vaccines. This dramatic measure came after the European Union threatened to block the export of vaccines to the UK during a tense phase of the pandemic in March 2021.
According to Johnson, the idea of a raid came as vaccine tensions between Britain and the EU reached a boiling point. The factory in question was producing doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, which were highly sought after as both Britain and the EU grappled with their respective vaccine rollouts. The EU, facing slower progress in vaccinating its population compared to the UK, sought to retain the vaccines for its own future use, leading to fears that Britain might be left short.
A Drastic Plan
In his memoirs, excerpts of which were published in the Daily Mail, Johnson shared that he had asked military officials to assess the possibility of launching a covert operation to seize the vaccines. He revealed that Lieutenant General Doug Chalmers, the deputy chief of Britain’s defence staff at the time, was responsible for outlining the feasibility of such an action.
Chalmers, according to Johnson, suggested that using small boats to cross the English Channel and navigate the intricate Dutch canal system was theoretically possible. However, Chalmers cautioned Johnson about the potential diplomatic fallout, warning him that the mission would be detected and seen as an act of aggression against a close NATO ally.
“If we are detected, we will have to explain why we are effectively invading a long-standing NATO ally,” Chalmers reportedly said, underscoring the serious consequences of such a mission.
Despite the military’s analysis of the plan, Johnson admitted that, in reality, he recognized the implausibility of the operation. “I privately shared their sentiments but wasn’t willing to voice it: the entire idea was absurd,” Johnson wrote.
Vaccines at the Heart of the Dispute
The vaccine doses in question were developed through a partnership between the University of Oxford and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. While doses were produced in both Britain and the Netherlands, the Dutch-produced vaccines had yet to receive full approval from EU regulators by March 2021, delaying their distribution within the EU.
At the time, Britain had already begun using the AstraZeneca vaccine extensively, and its vaccination campaign was proceeding swiftly. However, Johnson and his government were concerned that the EU might seize the Dutch-manufactured doses, leaving the UK without crucial supplies to continue its own vaccine rollout.
The EU’s move was seen by Johnson as an effort to prioritize its own citizens at Britain’s expense, a view reinforced by strained relations between the UK and EU following Brexit. Johnson had successfully led the UK out of the European Union in early 2020, a process marked by ongoing disputes over trade, borders, and now, vaccine supplies.
Johnson’s View of EU Actions
Johnson attributed much of the EU’s actions to political motivations, particularly pressure from French President Emmanuel Macron. “After two months of unproductive negotiations, I came to the conclusion that the EU was behaving out of malice and spite, merely because we were vaccinating our population far more quickly than they were,” Johnson wrote.
Tensions between Britain and the EU were high throughout the pandemic, with each side accusing the other of failing to honor contractual obligations regarding vaccine supplies. Johnson suggested that the EU’s decision to block exports was politically motivated and driven by a desire to save face amid growing frustration over the slow pace of vaccination efforts in several EU member states.
The former prime minister’s account provides insight into the fraught atmosphere of the time, as governments around the world scrambled to secure limited vaccine supplies for their citizens. Johnson’s willingness to contemplate such an extreme measure as a raid on a NATO ally’s factory highlights just how high the stakes were during the early months of the vaccine rollout.
Diplomatic Fallout Averted
Ultimately, the raid never took place, and Johnson’s government opted for continued negotiations with the EU. However, the plan’s existence sheds light on the intense pressure that leaders were under as the pandemic wreaked havoc across Europe.
A spokesperson for Lieutenant General Chalmers, who has since retired from military service and now chairs the UK government’s Committee on Standards in Public Life, declined to comment on confidential security discussions. The UK’s Ministry of Defence also declined to provide a statement regarding Johnson’s claims.
The dispute over vaccines eventually cooled, as both the UK and EU secured adequate supplies to meet their respective needs. However, the episode serves as a reminder of the high-stakes nature of vaccine diplomacy during the pandemic and the lengths to which some leaders were willing to go to protect their populations.
A Legacy of Controversy
Boris Johnson’s time in office was marked by numerous controversies, and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a key part of his legacy. While Britain’s vaccine rollout was one of the fastest in the world, Johnson was later forced out of office in 2022 after a series of scandals, including breaches of his own government’s lockdown rules.
As Johnson prepares to release his memoirs, his account of the planned vaccine raid offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes decision-making during one of the most turbulent periods in modern British history. Whether seen as a bold leader willing to consider unconventional solutions or as a reckless prime minister risking international relations, Johnson’s story continues to capture the attention of the public.