Lisa Nandy responds to the US refusal to join the global search for a Covid-19 vaccine

“This is an extraordinary attack on the World Health Organisation in the midst of a global pandemic and a deeply concerning setback in the search for a vaccine.

“This kind of ‘vaccine nationalism’ risks hampering the fight against the spread of Covid-19 and ultimately delaying the development, manufacture and distribution of a vaccine. This is a global fight that demands a coordinated international response.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the UK government is either unwilling or unable to exert influence across the Atlantic, and that the ‘deep friendship… and special relationship’ heralded by the Foreign Secretary is becoming increasingly one-sided.

“The UK must now show global leadership, begin building alliances with our democratic partners around the world and work collaboratively to prevent a national scramble for a vaccine.”