• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

‘Cronyism’ as Tory Councillor handed £156 million PPE contract without competition

"Continuing to award major public contracts without competitive tender fuels the perception that political patronage matters more than suitability for the job."

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2020-10-10 17:13
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Boris Johnson will outline a new three-tiered system of coronavirus restrictions on Monday that is expected to cause pubs and restaurants to shut across the north of England.

The new curbs on personal freedoms come as another person with links to the Conservative Party has landed a huge contract for PPE without having to compete with other organisations.

Mr Johnson will reveal the full details of the much-anticipated approach in a statement to the House of Commons, following criticism of the Government for not keeping MPs properly informed of changes.

The news comes after the Prime Minister’s chief strategic adviser Sir Edward Lister wrote to northern MPs following a meeting with leaders from the North on Friday to warn them it was “very likely” the region would be hit with tougher rules.

Workers in pubs, restaurants and other businesses which are forced to close under the new restrictions will have two thirds of their wages paid by the Government in a new financial scheme announced by the Chancellor earlier on Friday.

PPE

Earlier this week that a former business associate of Conservative peer Baroness Mone was given a £122m contract to supply PPE shortly after launching a company.

Also a firm co-owned by a Conservative donor that supplied beauty products was handed a £65m contract to provide face masks to the NHS.

RelatedPosts

Watch: Sadiq Khan demands answers from Met over partygate fines

Shapps’ dept spent thousands in taxpayers’ cash on juggling and it’s too similar to Thick of It scene

Watch: Praise after projection of Partygate timeline onto parliament by Led By Donkeys

Partygate: Reactions as No 10 staff mocked colleagues who tried to stop illegal drinks

Now a company run by a Tory councillor has been handed a £156 million contract to import PPE without any tendering process.

Steve Dechan, a Tory councillor in Stroud, signed the contract in May despite having suffered financial losses in 2019, openDemocracy reported.

He stood down from the council in August, however he has previously made headlines when P14 Medical was given a contract worth nearly £120m to supply face shields to the UK Government.

Cronyism

Transparency International’s Steve Goodrich told openDemocracy when this “happens again and again it reeks of cronyism”.

He went on: “Continuing to award major public contracts without competitive tender fuels the perception that political patronage matters more than suitability for the job. In order to ensure best value for money is being secured, the Government should return to open, competitive tendering in all but the most exceptional cases.”

Dechan previously told the BBC that P14 is an “expert company that has been in medical supplies for eight years including PPE”.

He added: “I only know a couple MPs through local campaigning on issues, only met ministers (no current ones) on [General Election] campaign trails. Never discussed PPE.

“We are so proud that we stood up and unlike many got it done and protected our customers.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We have been working tirelessly to deliver PPE to protect our health and social care staff on the frontline throughout this global pandemic.

“Proper due diligence is carried out for all government contracts and we take these checks extremely seriously.”

Related – Handing £122m PPE contract to Tory peer associate is the “definition of corruption” – MP says

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Hospitality industry facing ruin as leaders demand state help

Graffiti-themed Rat Bar opens under Waterloo station this weekend

The contrast between the PM hiding in a fridge and the reception Corbyn had across the country couldn’t be greater

Why you might need a Pre-Nup

Radio That Changed Lives: Documentary Film Review

Universal Credit claimants face crackdown as DWP tightens rules

Killers of PC Andrew Harper appeal convictions days after anniversary of death

Sanders takes huge lead in national poll as Biden plummets

Prince Abdullah pledges commitment to Sheffield United after winning court case

Annual FTSE100 CEO pay would take average worker over 150 years to earn

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.