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I can’t sleep so here’s a story in 4 screenshots. We first learned of new ‘Joint Biosecurity Centre’ on Sun. On Tues, that 4 friends of Gove/Cummings appointed to key roles in Cabinet Office. Today we learn ‘Biosecurity’ = counterterror/health mash-up. Based in Cabinet Office
Here’s the report by @dansabbagh & @iansample. Friend of Boris Johnson, son of Douglas Hurd counter terror chief in charge
‘Speaking at the launch of the Independent SAGE report, @AllysonPollock said ‘Even the term biosecurity is really worrying’ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/former-counter-terror-official-tom-hurd-put-in-charge-new-uk-biosecurity-centre-coronavirus">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
‘Speaking at the launch of the Independent SAGE report, @AllysonPollock said ‘Even the term biosecurity is really worrying’ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/former-counter-terror-official-tom-hurd-put-in-charge-new-uk-biosecurity-centre-coronavirus">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
A major surveillance apparatus has literally been set up overnight in the Cabinet Office. At *exactly* same time Gove & Cummings made 4 political appointees - friends - to senior oversight roles in the Cabinet Office. This cannot be ok. @Keir_Starmer needs to be all over this
Even more alarming than politicisation of key civil service function? Read this. @InstituteofGov believes ‘Joint Biosecurity Centre’ will take the place of SAGE in supplying govt with scientific advice. This is deeply deeply worrying. No transparency, oversight, accountability.
Why are the security services involved? Why based in Cabinet Office? Will independent scientists have access to this data? Why did Cummings/Gove need to appoint their cronies to oversee it? What does any of this mean for SAGE? And these are just the first questions..
Remember there is zero transparency into the heart of govt. But Cummings made clear his condition of entering govt was to smash the civil service & reshape it in his image. The Cabinet Office is where it begins. This whole project screams of an executive landgrab
