We are told, in hushed tones, that Boris has been very bad. For, you see, when it was possible to join up with the EU to buy protective equipment for the Angels Of The NHS Boris didn’t. Disgusting, terrible, and populist nativism means Angels will die!
Except, well, not so much:
Britain missed three opportunities to be part of an EU scheme to bulk-buy masks, gowns and gloves and has been absent from key talks about future purchases, the Guardian can reveal, as pressure grows on ministers to protect NHS medics and care workers on the coronavirus frontline.
European doctors and nurses are preparing to receive the first of €1.5bn (£1.3bn) worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) within days or a maximum of two weeks through a joint procurement scheme involving 25 countries and eight companies, according to internal EU documents.
Two weeks’ time, eh? The proof that buying through the EU would be more efficient is what?
One wonders which two out of the EU27 are not taking part? Presumably who ever they are they don’t need to, having acted more quickly and solved the problem more speedily than the EU25.
I would imagine Germany is not, partly because they probably already have enough and partly because their decentralised health system makes it difficult to co-ordinate.
Why is the NHS waiting for Government do do something? If the NHS wants to buy PPE, the NHS should just go ahead and buy PPE, not grovel at the feet of Government and wait for them to do something.
If it takes two weeks, it will be three weeks too late.