Tory MP Liam Fox referred the firm Surescreen Diagnostics to Matt Hancock, and they landed a £500 million contract. Surescreen subsequently donated £20,000 to Liam Fox.
After many months of hard work, The Good Law Project has managed to get the government to disclose the names of those politicians who referred Covid testing firms into the “VIP” lane, whereby the government awarded Covid contracts to those recommended by MPs and peers.
Although the Good Law Project had finally managed to uncover the names of those companies who won VIP contracts, as part of the Government’s £37 billion pound Test and Trace programme, the names of the ministers, MPs or officials who won VIP treatment for the firms remained hidden, until now.
The VIP lane has been mired in controversy, with accusations of cronyism widespread, with a High Court Judge ruling earlier this year that the government’s operation of a “VIP lane” for suppliers of personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic was illegal.
Mrs Justice O’Farrell described the VIP lane as being in breach ‘of the obligation of equal treatment’.
Good Law Project now reveals that just six Conservative Party politicians led to ‘VIPs’ being awarded contracts worth an eye-watering £5 billion.
Among those highlighted for recommending firms also included Dominic Cummings. Innova Medical landed Covid contracts valued at £4 billion via the ‘VIP’ lane after its UK partner, a company trading under the name ‘Tried & Tested’ contacted Boris Johnson’s former advisor, Cummings.
Tory MP Liam Fox referred the firm Surescreen Diagnostics to Matt Hancock, and they landed a £500 million contract. Surescreen subsequently donated £20,000 to Liam Fox.
A SureScreen spokesperson told the BBC regarding the donation: “The donation to Dr Fox’s office – not Dr Fox personally – was made by one of the directors of the business. This donation was specifically to support a series of events which include education talks from expert guests.”
Good Law Project also reports: “Matt Hancock assisted Ecolog International onto the ‘VIP’ lane after being contacted by Genix Healthcare – a company that has donated £156,000 to the Conservative Party. Hancock’s Department paid Ecolog £38m in 2021, after the Government decided not to proceed with previously contracted Covid work.
“Conservative Peer Lord Prior introduced a company called LumiraDx to Lord Bethell. The firm was awarded Covid contracts worth over £45 million.
“Lord Bethell referred a company called Optigne Ltd after being contacted by a Cabinet Office official – Optigene were subsequently awarded a £322m contract, leading to a 1221% increase in profits to £41m.
“Another Conservative Peer, Lord Lansley, introduced a company called Accoro onto the ‘VIP’ lane.”
Only Tory Party Peers, MPs and donors appear to be named as referrers, with no politician from any other political party succeeding in referring suppliers onto the Covid testing VIP lane.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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