In March, I asked why the director of a UK company making PPE were exporting all over the world but hadn’t had orders from the UK
NHS frontline staff were dying
Were million pound contracts being held back to give to govt-linked companies that had no PPE procurement background?
“There were no gowns, visors, swabs or body bags in the govt’s pandemic stockpile when #Covid19 hit UK.”
“The govt ignored warnings from advisers about shortages.”
“NHS staff are being put at risk because of the shortage of PPE.”
Report by @BBCPanorama.
In April, @Channel4News has seen the inventory of the UK govt’s pandemic PPE stockpile. Almost 80% of respirators were out of date when #coronavirus hit.
The UK had had a three month head start to prepare for #COVID19
Covid wasn’t an “invisible mugger”
In early March, the UK had developed 10-minute #COVID19 tests that they were manufacturing...and then exporting around the world!
It would be many months before even frontline NHS staff could be guaranteed swift testing! #PPEScandal #ContractScandal
The #ContractScandal is part of a far bigger & scarier scandal
Contracts for running the COVID data store were given to the shadowy surveillance firm, #Palantir, who are doing the same in scores of countries
Palantir are connected to #CambridgeAnalytica.
Fast track for PPE firms with political ties
144 referrals originated in the private offices of government ministers
A further 64 suppliers were referred directly by MPs or members of the House of Lords
The CEO of Ayanda is asked about this here by BBC.
How did an ex-neighbour of @MattHancock win a big #COVID19 contract?
After initially denying it, Alex Bourne finally admitted he’d exchanged text & email messages with Hancock over several months & participated in a meeting attended by Hancock & Johnson.
theguardian.com/world/2020/nov…
“If we already know this much about the only 3 contracts we’ve looked at in detail, what else is there to uncover? There are hundreds of further contracts - some of which we are examining - & many of these will be as bad or worse.” @JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject #ContractScandal
“If we already know this much about the only 3 contracts we’ve looked at in detail, what else is there to uncover? There are hundreds of further contracts - some of which we are examining - & many of these will be as bad or worse.” @JolyonMaugham @GoodLawProject #ContractScandal
Wow!
On Friday, @MattHancock’s ex-neighbour told the Guardian that he didn’t have safety certification for vials he’d been supplying since June as part of the £30m govt contract he ‘won’.
Later the same day, it appears they were granted certification. theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Last week, @MattHancock’s neighbour admitted exchanging personal WhatsApp messages with him offering his services to produce #Covid equipment
Today, Hancock says he “had absolutely nothing to do with that contract”. #ContractScandal #COVID19 #coronavirus
You’ve head of ‘Oligarchs’
Now meet the ‘Covidarchs'
Unlikely business people who, with the help of the govt, have filled their bank accounts with millions in tax-payers money on the PPE gravy train.
Govt-facilitated pandemic profiteering on a big scale
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9…
About £9 billion in PPE contacts went to companies run by friends or associates of Tory MP’s
In some cases they delivered unusable goods
The govt PPE tsar has financial interests/personal ties to at least 7 companies awarded hundreds of millions of £ in contracts @paraicobrien
“Wow. A PPE supplier speaking to the Public Accounts Committee says they warned the government in DECEMBER 2019 that there would be a shortage of equipment.
They were ignored.”
@WritesBright in @BylineTimes #HerdImmunityScandal #HerdImmunity #COVID19
bylinetimes.com/2021/05/24/gov…
“Ministers used their private emails to hand out taxpayers' money to their mates
The govt admitted it
Now the govt won't search Ministers' private emails to investigate what has gone on & won't secure them for the public inquiry.” @AngelaRayner
#COVID19 bbc.com/news/uk-politi…
"Michael Gove was secretly involved in the process through which a PPE company linked to the Tory peer Michelle Mone secured huge government contracts, according to newly released documents that show private emails being used for govt business." #COVID19
theguardian.com/politics/2022/…
PPE the govt bought for £122m from a company linked to Tory peer Michelle Mone was purchased from China for just £46m
Despite being bought at the start of the #COVID19 pandemic, the 25m gowns were never used by the NHS after govt officials rejected them theguardian.com/politics/2022/…
Gove asked about profiteering on unusable PPE. It smacks of corruption👇
“You forwarded on a contact from Michelle Mone...how do you feel that millions of pounds was wasted because of that introduction?” @KayBurley
“I don't know the details”@michaelgove
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