Boris Johnson has been slammed for putting politics before people after it was claimed Tory ministers took a “political decision” not to take part in an EU-wide scheme to bulk buy medical ventilators.
A top civil servant undermined excuses by UK ministers that they had missed an email at the beginning of the pandemic offering them a place in the European scheme for the mass purchase of coronavirus ventilators.
Sir Simon McDonald, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary, told MPs the offer to take part in the scheme had been put to ministers.
Giving evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs committee, McDonald said: “It was a political decision. The UK mission (in Brussels) briefed ministers about what was available, what was on offer and the decision is known.”
Sir Simon's remarks blew a hole in the excuses made by government ministers and officials for not taking part in the EU scheme.
However, in a further sign of confusion at the heart of government, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock later denied the claim. And it emerged Sir Simon will be "clarifying" his remarks in writing.
Alyn Smith MP, the SNP’s foreign affairs spokesman, said the civil service revelation that the decision was political rather than a logistical error was “damning”.
He said: “It’s clear that UK government ministers were briefed about the Europe-wide scheme but chose to reject vital protective equipment due to its narrow Brexit ideology.
“Quite simply, it would be unacceptable if anyone has decided to put politics before the urgent need to save people’s lives.”
Answering questions at the daily Downing Street press conference, Hancock said there was no political decision not to join the scheme.
Hancock said: “As far as I’m aware there was no political decision not to participate in that scheme.
He added: “I know there’s been debate about whether it was sent to the wrong email address initially, but the invitation when it came to the Department of Health to participate in this scheme, in an associate way because we’re not members of the EU, it came to me for a decision and I said yes.”
Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said: “First we were told the Government missed an email invitation to join the EU procurement scheme. Then we were told the decision not to take part was a political decision. Now we are told that the Government did sign up to the scheme.
“This is not a trivial matter. Ministers needs to explain what has happened and who is speaking for the Government on this matter.”
