Ursula van Der Leyen is set for a showdown over a stockpile of some 30 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses, reported by to be located in the Catalent plant in Anagni. La Stampa says the vaccine was manufactured in the Halix Dutch factory in Leiden and then bottled in Italy. They are said to be due to be shipped to the UK for the second dosing of OAPs.

Rome previously refused an export permit for 250,000 AstraZeneca doses that were due to be sent to Australia. The EU is hinting it could do the same to this stockpile and keep them in Anagni. Boris better blow the bloody doors off the plant…

UPDATE: Briefing in both London and Brussels claims they are not intended for the UK. It is of course in the interests of both Downing Street and the Commission to de-escalate the situation.