Remainers more likely than Leavers to back the idea

New polling from Ipsos finds a significant Brexit divide on what Britain should do about any surplus of vaccine that it night find it has. For those who voted Remain in 2016 are markedly more likely to want to share any excess vaccines with 66% saying the UK should pass on some of its extra doses.

This compares with only half (50%) of those who voted to leave the EU saying they back the idea. Desire to give vaccines to other countries is also higher among 55-75-year olds (61%), while 49% of 35-54s and 53% of 18-34s want to share the excess vaccines.

Almost 2 in 3 (63%) would support the UK giving their excess vaccine doses to poorer countries for free while making richer countries pay for them. Over half (55%) agree with just selling excess doses to countries who can pay for them, while 43% support just giving them to other countries for free. Only 13% would support the UK government banning UK companies from making vaccines they have produced to sell to other countries.

Britons are most likely to want to wait until everyone in the UK has been fully vaccinated before any doses are given away (68%). Around half (51%) would support giving vaccines to other countries once over-50s, frontline health and social workers and those clinically vulnerable have been vaccinated. Forty-seven per cent would be happy to start giving them away once over-65s and frontline health and social care workers had received the jab and those at risk because of clinical conditions. Half (53%) of those aged 18-34 support sharing the vaccine with other countries at this stage, compared to only 43% of 35-54s and 46% of 55-75s.