Make sure Britain is not at the back of the queue for the vaccines.

With the coronavirus vaccine delivery date set for next year, the UK will have already have lost access to the institutions working to save lives. 

We won’t be part of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), and Britain could be denied quick access to a coronavirus vaccine.

We are calling on the Government, as a matter of urgency, to begin negotiations with the European Commission to ensure lives are saved.

Let’s make sure we are collaborating with the EMA and the ECDC. Sign our petition, and let's work together to stop the coronavirus in its tracks.

In a crisis, EU members club together and buy in bulk to get a better deal from manufacturers and deliver life-saving products faster. The EU has already done this to secure masks, and will undoubtedly invoke this method once a vaccine is available.

But the UK is already outside the European Union’s ‘joint procurement measures’ for buying medicine.

When the vaccine does arrive, Britain will not be part of this co-operative practice. In the economy of scale, the UK could be pushed aside in favour of a much larger market like the EU.

This would mean higher costs and slower implementation. Many cannot risk the wait.

For the sake of our most vulnerable groups, for the elderly and those with existing health conditions, we must act pre-emptively. We must ensure a practical agreement is in place before a vaccine is developed.

Join us in calling on the Government, as a matter of urgency, to address our concerns about vaccination distribution and reconsider the timeline of transition.

Now is the time to work together with our closest allies. A global Britain cannot be seen to walk away from a global crisis.

Together, we can ensure a vaccine for the British people is delivered swiftly. Together, we can ensure as many lives as possible are saved.

Best wishes,

Naomi Smith
CEO, Best for Britain