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A firm specialising in vitamin boosts that hired Boris Johnson's half-brother hoping he can "open doors" is holding talks with Government about Covid testing, which we know (only because of leaks) Govt plans to spend over £100bn on. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-test-firm-chief-22743592?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/covid-19-test-firm-chief-22743592?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar
We at @GoodLawProject have four judicial reviews afoot against inexplicable procurement decisions Government has made and is about to launch a further three, including one against the £100bn+ Moonshot programme. Those judicial reviews share some alarming features.
Government has failed to put any of the contracts out to open tender so we can check on how it is spending public money. It has, contrary to its own guidance, refused to publish the contracts and, contrary to the law, details of the contracts.
A number of these contracts - even without publication I am currently aware of six but there are almost certainly many more - have been entered into privately with long time associates of Dominic Cummings.
In each of the judicial reviews we have brought Govt argues we cannot challenge its actions because we do not have standing. I have sworn a witness statement explaining the many conversations I have had with businesses who fear commercial reprisals if they challenge Government.
In the one judicial review we have so far brought against Govt for secretly entering into a contract with Cummings' associate - we expect to bring another next week and this is true of that further judicial review - Govt has not even attempted to argue its actions were lawful.
I have correspondence from serious people - senior academics, business people and lawyers - making allegations I consider plausible of price gouging and corruption including, in respect of a very valuable contract, an explicit demand for a bribe.
I have worked hard to put this material into the public domain - and the person responsible for the price gouging allegation is talking to a journalist I introduced him to - but those who come to me are very fearful of what will happen to them if their name emerges.
I also speak privately to senior current and ex-civil servants, some of whom work in highly respected think tanks, who share my alarm about what is happening in Government but prefer not to go public with their fears.
On the £100bn+ Moonshot programme - more below - widely pilloried by the scientific community Government says the project is both (1) too urgent for open tender but (2) insufficiently urgency for it to need to respond in accordance with court timetables. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/operation-moonshot/
