The Good Law Project @GoodLawProject

1/ A lobbying firm run by allies of Dominic Cummings was handed a contract worth £900,000 to conduct public opinion polling on the coronavirus pandemic.
2/ The contract was awarded to Hanbury Strategy without any advertisement or competitive tender process...
3/ ...And it was awarded to Hanbury despite the fact that - as our sworn evidence discloses - Hanbury was ill-suited to do the bulk of the work and would have had to subcontract it to others...
4/That sworn evidence also suggests that the price paid by Govt was “absolutely off the chart”

Two of three active directors of Hanbury Strategy are Mr Paul Stephenson, a former Conservative advisor & Vote Leave alumni, & Mr Ameetpal Singh Gill, a former advisor to David Cameron
5/ Ignoring proper procurement practices to hand lucrative contracts to your mates is unlawful. We have issued judicial review proceedings to challenge this award. More details of the claim can be found here. 

drive.google.com/file/d/1twt_GV…
6/ These aren’t the only long-time associates of Dominic Cummings getting rich from COVID-19. We have already issued judicial review proceedings over a contract awarded to Public First, a small polling company owned by former colleagues of Mr Cummings.
7/ Again, the contract was not advertised and no other companies were invited to bid for it.

The Government does not contend its actions are lawful. It says only that we cannot bring these challenges because we do not have standing.
8/ They argue only companies who could have bid on these contracts have that right. But other companies operating in this space will not speak out for fear of losing other business.
9/ So it falls to us. We cannot, and will not, stop in our efforts to hold this Government to account.

Thank you.

Jolyon Maugham QC
Director of Good Law Project.

@GoodLawProject
@threadreaderapp unroll please

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Agnes Clackett

Agnes Clackett Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @AgnesClackett

11 Oct
GOOD LAW PROJECT @GoodLawProject

1/ The Government has at last accepted it must review its outdated energy policy that has allowed fossil fuel projects to be forced through.

drive.google.com/file/d/1etdyPg…
2/ This important concession from Government, which can be read here, followed judicial review proceedings launched by Good Law Project in March alongside noted environmentalists Dale Vince and George Monbiot.

drive.google.com/file/d/1etdyPg…
3/ The policy in question was published back in 2011 and sets out the Government’s strategy for meeting the energy needs of the country....
Read 11 tweets
11 Oct
benefitsandwork.co.uk
@benefitsandwork
4 Oct 2020

PIP & ESA video assessment trials have started

DWP have begun trialling video assessments for personal independence payment, DWP minister Therese Coffey, told Work & Pensions Committee on Weds 30 Sept
parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/5c…
2/ Coffey was able to provide very few details, except that
“We did try to get some extra capital on video assessments. We weren’t successful in getting additional money, so we have reprioritised some of our capital budget to get that underway.”
3/ John Paul Marks, a senior civil servant at the DWP was able to provide the committee with a little more information....
Read 9 tweets
11 Oct
benefitsandwork.com
@benefitsandwork

1/ PIP assessments now being audio recorded* (see update)

4 October 2020

* In the last newsletter we told you that IAS (Atos) began audio recording all PIP telephone assessments from 21 September.
2/ ...*This was based on evidence that Therese Coffey, secretary of state for work & pensions, gave the Work & Pensions Committee on 30 September

However, the DWP have now informed us that claimants must ask to have their assessment recorded, it will not be done automatically...
3/ *... You are likely to need to arrange this in advance. The earlier you request a recording the better, as a new appointment may need to be arranged...
Read 11 tweets
11 Oct
benefitsandwork.co.uk
@benefitsandwork

6 Oct 2020

Previously unseen PIP & ESA documents

1/Benefits & Work has begun working through hundreds of pages of guidance &training relating to PIP & WCA telephone assessments that have been published on the What Do they Know website
2/ The guidance includes previously unseen information that could make the difference between winning and losing an appeal about failing to be present for a telephone assessment...
3/ Benefits and Work has heard from numerous people with experiences like this:

“Capita did not call. My appointment was at 11.45, I waited & no call was received. I phoned them at 1215hrs & was told that I had failed to attend for my assessment & that they had called 3 times”
Read 16 tweets
11 Oct
STAND WITH HONG KONG🇭🇰
#StandWithHongKong

What can you do?

1/ By keeping an eye out for developments in Hong Kong, you’re already part of an international community that monitors & ensures Hongkongers aren’t forgotten or left behind

Please consider amplifying our voices by...
2/ Please consider amplifying our voices by: 

1) Following us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube).

2) Tweeting about Hong Kong with #StandWithHongKong.
3/ Asking your political representative(s) to call out China for disregarding Hong Kong's autonomy and breaching the Joint Declaration.
Read 6 tweets
11 Oct
STAND UP FOR HONG KONG🇭🇰
#StandWithHongKong

1/ Universities are defiant against attacks on academic freedom
 
Earlier in the year, schools and universities had their syllabuses censored, in an attempt to silence the voices of those who support democracy
cnn.com/2020/09/03/asi…
2/ Now attacks on academic freedoms have gone even further, with despicable incidents of vandalism of pro-democracy monuments occurring at campuses in Hong Kong...

hongkongfp.com/2020/09/28/vid…
3/ ...and educators being targeted for holding and expressing pro-democracy views.

scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
Read 7 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!