Twitter users report Nadine Dorries following controversial tweet about the Pfizer vaccine and Brexit

Her remarks echo the health secretary’s, who said on Wednesday that he was able to “move faster” to authorise the jab thanks to powers Britain supposedly did not have as an EU member state.

The comment was swiftly rebuked by June Raine, the head of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA), which made the decision.

Raine said: “We have been able to authorise the supply of this vaccine using provisions under European law, which exist until 1 January.”

Downing Street is also distancing itself from the remarks, saying: “I think the important point is that we are the first country in the world to approve this vaccine, and thanks to the hard work of the MHRA.”

In her post, Dorries tweeted: “No one should be in any doubt about how it is that we can start rolling out the vaccine next week.

“A month ago, we changed the regulations to exempt us from requiring EU approval. We should still be waiting if we hadn’t. Thanks to Brexit we can move ahead swiftly and safely.”

The minister was swiftly shut down.

One user, Phil Collins, shared a picture of Raine’s quote, writing: “Nadine, please see these words from the Director at MHRA. You will see that you are, as usual, talking nonsense. Bad enough for anyone but a supposed govt health minister is inexcusable – don’t you think?!?”

Nigel Callaghan went one step further and notified Twitter support.

He wrote: “Dear @TwitterSupport, the information in this tweet by Nadine Dorries is a lie by a politician. How can I report it so that you put up a warning as you do for @realDonaldTrump when he lies? There are no appropriate report options.”

That was immediately followed up by another member who reported Tory MPs Michael Fabricant and Jacob Rees-Mogg, who made similar remarks.

Scientists for EU head Mike Galsworthy posted: “This is misleading. The changes made a month ago (following the MHRA consultation) were adaptations to domestic law that fully assist the provisions in European Law that we are using to fast-track approval.”

George Peretz QC said: “I don’t like legal inaccuracy: a lawyer’s professional deformation. But I particularly dislike it when the subject is vaccines, and ministers like @NadineDorries are going to be asking us for trust. Nothing destroys trust more than inaccuracy and puff.”

Twitter had not responded to those requests at the time this was written.