Taken from sky news: "Coronavirus contracts worth £3.7 billion raise corruption concerns, report says Coronavirus contracts awarded by the UK government worth more than £3.7 billion raise at least one red flag for possible corruption, according to a report. Transparency International UK says that how the government handled bids for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) and other pandemic contracts appeared to favour those with political access. The independent anti-corruption organisation identified 73 contracts worth more than £3.7 billion - equivalent to 20% of all contracts between February and November of last year - whose award "merits further investigation". It found that of the cases of concern, 24 contracts for PPE worth £1.6 billion were awarded to those with known political connections to the Conservative Party. A review of these "high-risk contracts" identified 15 areas of concern, such as uncompetitive tendering and politically connected contractors. The organisation's report said the system designed to triage offers of PPE supplies appeared to be "partisan and riven with systemic bias". They found that between February and November, some 98.9% of COVID-related contracts by value (£17.8 billion) were awarded without any form of competition. The organisation's chief executive Daniel Bruce said: "There are now very serious questions for the government to answer." A government spokesman responded: "All PPE procurement went through the same assurance process and due diligence as carried out on every contract - ministers have no role in awarding them." Surely theres got to be some investigation?
Rachel Reeves, Labour MP and Bernard Jenkin, Conservative MP,both investigate and challenge the government on these issues constantly but are limited by a process and the way the rules are set out.
