Bbc's andrew neil defends boris johnson after flaw in eu scheme

The EU launched an initiative in March to get more ventilators to treat patients. It was aimed pooling resources together so the bloc could have a bigger collective buying power to get the

medical equipment from manufacturers. However, the EU has admitted it has not produced any of the critical equipment yet to tackle CORONAVIRUS. They have said: “Taking into account the

difficult situation of the markets and the complexity of products like ventilators, their production and delivery is expected to take time." The ventilators work by assisting a

patient’s respiratory functions and pumping oxygen into the blood for vital organs. This comes as the UK has more than 60,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 7,097 deaths. The UK was

eligible to participate in the scheme despite leaving the EU on January 31. However, the Cabinet Office said there was nothing the EU scheme offered that the UK was not able to do alone. At

the end of March the NHS had 5,900 ventilators but said they could need three times this number if the disease spread. Journalist Andrew Neil said on Twitter: “So the EU scheme that many

attacked Britain for not participating in has yet to produce new ventilators. SEE MORE: BORIS JOHNSON HEALTH LATEST: HOW IS PM DOING? LATEST NO 10 UPDATE “And might not for some time. New

ventilators for EU will take time, the commission says.” Speaking of the issue on the Andrew Marr show, Michael Gove said: “There was some communication confusion. “I don’t know all the

details of that, but I do know having talked to senior figures in the NHS that there’s nothing that participating in that scheme would have allowed us to do that we have not been able to do

ourselves.” Attacking the Government, Lib Dem MP, Layla Moran, said: “At a time when the NHS is facing chronic shortages of ventilators and other vital medical equipment, it is deeply

concerning that the Government has reportedly refused to take part in the EU joint procurement scheme. "We will only beat the threat posed by COVID-19 by working together with our

friends and partners in Europe and around the world. "Ministers must put pragmatism above ideological considerations and urgently opt into the EU joint procurement scheme so that we can

secure the vital equipment NHS workers and those suffering from COVID-19 so desperately need." DON'T MISS:  Coronavirus ventilators: New device can treat two patients at once 

[REVIEW] BBC QT: TUC chief raises important point about ventilator shortage [COMMENT] CORONAVIRUS UK VENTILATORS: WHAT IS A VENTILATOR? WHY ARE MORE NEEDED? [VIDEO] Many UK companies have

been helping the Government in their call for more ventilators, including Dyson and Gtech. Calling the companies to help, a Downing Street spokesman said: “We’re calling on the manufacturing

industry and all those with relevant expertise who might be able to help to come together to help the country tackle this national crisis”. “We need to step up production of vital equipment

such as ventilators so that we can all help the most vulnerable, and we need businesses to come to us and help in this national effort.” There are some concerns that the ventilators being

made by these UK companies could miss the pandemic peak in the UK. The issue of EU unity has been put into strain due to the crisis especially as poorer countries Italy and Spain have

expected financial help from Germany.