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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Business
Karl Matchett and Kate Devlin

Inside AstraZeneca’s abandoned UK vaccine plant deal as Labour and Tories face questions over £450m collapse

AstraZeneca United Kingdom Vaccine Pascal Soriot Rachel Reeves Andrew Griffith Chris Bryant Sir Keir Starmer The Independent the House of Commons
Plans were announced in May 2024 for the £450m vaccine hub - but now it has been scrapped with a blame game only just getting started - (Getty Images)

In May 2024, plans were cheerfully announced for a £450m facility to be built in Speke, Liverpool, where the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca would be manufacturing vaccines.

Last week, that deal was officially confirmed as off the table - a massive blow to Rachel Reeves and the Labour government’s pursuit of growth. The collapse has left questions on why it fell through despite an apparent agreement on all sides.

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