During the budget speech last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves thanked Tom Hayhoe for his work in helping to chase down ‘nearly £400m from dodgy pandemic spending and contracts’.
"Whilst any drive against corruption is welcome, a focus on Covid alone will neither shackle predatory corporations nor the political system which nurtures nefarious practices."
“The cost to the taxpayer of Covid fraud is estimated at £7.2bn. Every cheque signed by Rishi Sunak...We'll appoint a Covid corruption commissioner, a hit squad of investigators...to take the fraudsters to court...We want that money back."
There was a significant rise in fraud cases when Sunak was Chancellor
Billions of pounds won’t be recovered by the tax authority at a time when the government insists that it doesn’t have the money to give hard-pressed public sector workers pay rises.
In March, North Tyneside Conservatives were accused of abusing the furlough scheme