G7 Summit: Boris Johnson dismisses claims of ‘moral failure’ on vaccines – and says Brexit row left Cornwall ‘no bitter taste’ | Politics News

Boris Johnson rejected claims of the G7 ‘moral failure’ in delivering more COVID vaccines to poorer countries – as he rejected suggestions that a Brexit row had eclipsed the Cornwall world leaders’ summit .

After three days of talks in the resort town of Carbis Bay, the leaders of the world’s main democracies have pledged to provide one billion doses of coronavirus vaccine over the next year.

However, the World Health Organization has challenged G7 leaders to help immunize at least 70% of the world’s population by the time they meet again next year – a goal that , according to them, will require 11 billion doses.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Sky News the G7 summit would be seen as a “missed opportunity” as he accused leaders of “unforgivable moral failure” for providing vaccines to the rest of the world.

But, speaking at a press conference on Sunday at the end of the Cornwall summit, Mr Johnson dismissed the claim.

He said the G7 “was going all out and we were producing vaccines as fast as possible and distributing them as fast as possible”.

And the Prime Minister added that a goal of vaccinating the world by the end of 2022 will be made “very largely thanks to the efforts of the countries which have come here today”.

In addition to G7 leaders’ talks on the COVID resumption, preparedness for a future pandemic and climate change at the summit, lingering Brexit tensions were also exposed in Cornwall between UK and EU leaders.

But Mr Johnson has denied that a continuing row between the UK and the EU over post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland left a ‘bitter taste’ at the Cornwall rally.

“I can tell you that the vast, vast majority of the conversations we have had over the past three or four days have been on other topics and there has been a fantastic degree of harmony between the leaders of our countries. “, did he declare.