Possibly the moment the idea was conceived. This picture of ‘Boris the Tank Engine’ Johnson might show the exact moment the idea of invading the Netherlands was initially conceived.
Credit: “Boris the Tank Engine” – Adam Woodward.
Credit: CO 5 RIFLES, X.com
Boris Johnson’s Daring Plan to Invade Holland for COVID Vaccines.
In an astonishing twist from his upcoming memoir, Unleashed, Boris Johnson has admitted he once considered launching a top secret “aquatic raid” on the Netherlands to seize COVID-19 vaccines during the height of the pandemic. Yes, you read that right – the former PM was plotting a covert mission – possibly involving SBS and /or SAS Special Forces units – to swipe vaccine supplies from the Dutch.
Johnson, known for his bold moves, disclosed in an extract published by the Daily Mail that he and senior military officials seriously discussed sending boats to a Dutch warehouse in March 2021. The goal? To snatch AstraZeneca vaccines that he believed were rightfully the UK’s, as tensions over supply reached boiling point with the EU.
Britain was locked in a bitter battle with Europe over vaccine exports at the time, and Boris wasn’t having any of it. He claimed the EU was treating the UK “with malice” and, in true Boris style, decided to brainstorm a swashbuckling solution. “They wanted to stop us getting the five million doses, and yet they showed no real sign of wanting to use the AstraZeneca doses themselves,” he wrote.
‘Vaccine Heist’
Johnson revealed, “I had commissioned some work on whether it might be technically feasible to launch an aquatic raid on a warehouse in Leiden, in the Netherlands, and to take that which was legally ours and which the UK desperately needed.” Lt Gen Doug Chalmers, the deputy chief of the defence staff, told Johnson that the plan was “certainly feasible”.
The strategy? A James Bond-style infiltration using inflatable boats to cruise through Dutch canals. Once they reached the warehouse, they’d swoop in, “secure the hostage goods, exfiltrate using an articulated lorry, and make their way to the Channel ports”. It was a daring stunt right out of a heist film.
But, like all good thrillers, there was a catch. Chalmers had to remind Boris that pulling off such a mission undetected would be tricky, and the UK would be left trying to explain why it had “effectively invaded a longstanding NATO ally”. Probably not the best look for Britain.
Reality Strikes: “It Was Nuts”
In typical Boris fashion, he acknowledged the insanity of it all, writing, “Of course, I knew he was right, and I secretly agreed with what they all thought but did not want to say aloud: that the whole thing was nuts.” Yes, an invasion of the Netherlands in the dead of night during a global health crisis would likely have raised a few eyebrows.
This wasn’t the only bombshell from his memoir. Johnson also took the opportunity to address the infamous “Partygate” scandal, denying he ever ate cake at his lockdown birthday bash. He described the event as the “feeblest” party ever, insisting, “I saw no cake. I ate no blooming cake.” According to Boris, if there was any cake involved, they certainly didn’t share it with him.
Boris Johnson’s Close Call with COVID
Reflecting on his own brush with death during his time in intensive care with COVID, Boris opened up about how he almost “carked it”. He praised the “skills and experience” of the nurses who saved his life, admitting that he didn’t want to fall asleep his first night in Intensive Care, partly in case he never woke up.
From swiping vaccines to not-so-sweet cakes, Boris Johnson’s pandemic tales are as wild as they come. His memoir promises to be packed with more wild revelations – and we can’t wait to see what other misadventures await in Unleashed.
Was Boris Johnson Joking About Invading the Netherlands for Vaccines?
While Johnson’s memoir makes for a gripping read, several senior Tories aren’t convinced this plan was ever meant to be taken seriously. Ministers who worked closely with Johnson during the pandemic suggest the former PM’s so-called invasion was more of a “tongue-in-cheek” proposal, conveniently exaggerated to sell books.
The Unleashed extract has certainly caused a stir, but it’s not just Johnson’s Dutch raid fantasy making headlines. In another shocking revelation, Boris now claims he believes COVID was man-made in a Chinese lab. He writes: “The awful thing about the whole COVID. catastrophe is that it appears to have been entirely man-made.”
How Has the Netherlands Responded?
Surprisingly, despite presumably narrowly escaping invasion, the Netherlands have not issued an official, formal response to Boris Johnson’s plan for an aquatic night-time raid to seize COVID-19 vaccines.
However, the story has been met with scepticism round and dismissed by various commentators. Dutch media, like Dutch News and NL Times, highlighted the bizarre nature of the claim, framing it as more of a fanciful, over-the-top idea rather than a real plan. The notion of the UK considering an invasion of a NATO ally for vaccines was seen as outlandish, and there’s been no serious diplomatic fallout from the revelation.
Vaccine Wars: EU Accused Britain of Snatching Jabs as Dutch Threatened to Block AstraZeneca Shipments.
The vaccine battle of 2021 was fierce, and it turns out Britain wasn’t just taking jabs – the EU suspected they were hoarding them. AstraZeneca, the pharma giant behind the Covid-19 vaccine, had plants cranking out doses across the UK and EU, with major sites in Belgium and the Netherlands. But as Britain raced ahead with its vaccine rollout, EU leaders were fuming. Why? Because AstraZeneca twice slashed deliveries to the EU, slowing their vaccination campaign to a snail’s pace.
Although the company pointed fingers at “production problems” in Belgium, Brussels had other ideas. Given that AstraZeneca is a British-Swedish company with its headquarters in the UK, the EU believed Britain was pushing the company to prioritise its own orders, leaving the EU out in the cold.
The Dutch government even went as far as threatening to block vaccine shipments unless Britain agreed to a fairer deal.
In March 2021, Dutch officials told Politico they were ready to stop shipments of AstraZeneca jabs unless Britain played fair and shared more vaccines with the EU. As tensions mounted, the European Commission suspected that Britain’s orders were being fast-tracked, with the EU’s supplies taking the hit. The battle over doses was that intense.
At the height of the pandemic, it wasn’t just about who could get vaccinated first. It was a tug-of-war over life-saving jabs, and every country was looking out for number one. Britain got its vaccines, but it wasn’t without drama on the Continent.
A £4 Million Pay Day for Boris Johnson?
While many are left scratching their heads over Johnson’s explosive claims, one thing is for certain: Boris is expected to pocket a tidy £4 million from his memoirs. Whether his aquatic raid on Holland was ever a serious plan or just a whimsical musing, it’s safe to say Johnson knows how to keep the spotlight shining.
So, was Boris Johnson seriously considering becoming Britain’s own action hero, or is this all just part of his charm offensive to boost book sales? Either way, the saga of Boris the Tank Engine’s vaccine heist is sure to keep people talking about his book.
