An ‘absolute scandal’ that UK binned 600,000 jabs, says Thornberry

Labour frontbencher Emily Thornberry has has said it is an “absolute scandal” that the UK discarded 600,000 plus Covid jab doses that could have been shipped to developing countries.

The shadow international development secretary’s Twitter comments came in light of figures obtained by a freedom of information request submitted by The Independent newspaper, showing that huge numbers of AstraZeneca doses were permitted to pass their expiry date due to lack of domestic demand.

Ms Thornberry argued: “This is an absolute scandal. The government has callously wasted more than half a million lifesaving AZ jabs, whilst medics on the frontline continue to fight Covid unvaccinated.”