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Trevor Phillips interviews Boris Johnson on Sky News

journalismJul 19, 202620360

Trevor Phillips interviewed former prime minister Boris Johnson in an extended Sky News conversation focused on Brexit and the government’s record, including Covid-era decisions. The interview covered claims that Brexit let the UK approve a Covid vaccine faster, a claim Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Jacob Rees-Mogg endorsed; the BBC noted the MHRA said it authorised supply using European law provisions valid through the transition until 1 January. When asked whether the vaccine approval was a “Brexit bonus,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson declined to answer directly and instead thanked the NHS and the Vaccine Taskforce. Online posts sampled after the broadcast criticised Johnson’s record and questioned the value of giving him extended airtime, with some commentators saying Phillips struggled to get a word in. The exchange revived scrutiny of the government’s Covid contracts and the wider narrative around Brexit’s practical effects on medicine regulation.