Responding to @TransparencyUK's report that about a fifth of the £18bn of covid contracts had the potential to involve fraud or corruption, a Government spokeswoman said this (thetimes.co.uk/article/fifth-…):
Her line - that the VIP lane was widely advertised across Government as a way of triaging offers of support - was also used by Lord Bethell.
We have just asked the High Court for details of those advertisements. And Counsel for the Secretary of State for Health has said (and I quote): "I am not sure how far that is intended to be a description of what actually happened.”
Two points, I guess.
First, that's quite a remarkable thing for Matt Hancock's QC to say about a statement made by both a Government spokeswoman and one of Hancock's junior ministers.
Second, my personal take, it really does illustrate (again) what a difficult job those representing Govt in an environment in which truth-telling is important (legal proceedings) have in responding to statements made by this Govt in environments in which it is less important.
See, in relation to that second point, this anecdote...
Many disabled people on Employment and Support Allowance only get £74 a week to live off - even though their costs have risen massively during the pandemic. THREAD dpac.uk.net/2021/03/20more…@Dis_PPL_Protest#20More4All
We @Dis_PPL_Protest and @Z2K_trust say all legacy benefits like Employment and Support Allowance need to be increased by £20 a week.
A survey of disabled people on legacy benefits conducted by the Disability Benefits Consortium found that two thirds have had to go without essentials like food, heating or medication as a result of increased costs since the pandemic started. mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
Social care is not free for disabled people. Many people pay as much as £100 a week towards social care and are left with very little money for other needs. THREAD 👇
Government give some disabled people money to meet extra costs of being disabled in Personal Independence Payments but now local councils are taking that to pay for care. # EndTaxOnBeingDisabled
Care should be free at the point of need for disabled people and those with a long term health condition.
Disabled People Against Cuts are calling for an end to the postcode lottery in social care with a national social care system 👇 (@Dis_PPL_Protest ) rofa.org.uk/nilss_project/
What's the difference between social care and independent living? vimeo.com/425065010
Why do we need a legal right to independent living and a national independent living support service? (Disabled People Against Cuts) vimeo.com/425069614
In this thread @Dis_PPL_Protest will be sharing the terrible impact of Covid on disabled people.
People with a learning disability made up 6 in 100 (5.8%) of all deaths involving coronavirus for the period to 20 November 2020. ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati…
Rates of death involving COVID-19 for disabled men were between 1.9 and 3.1 times greater than for non-disabled men.
Rates of death involving COVID-19 for disabled women were between 2.0 and 3.5 times greater than for non-disabled women. @Dis_PPL_Protest
One in five disabled employees had their request to work from home, be furloughed or redeployed during the pandemic rejected. bbc.co.uk/news/disabilit…
📣Good morning! It's Disabled People Against Cuts @Dis_PPL_Protest taking over Jo's account.
We are group of disabled people and allies.
We welcome all to join us fighting for justice and human rights for all disabled people. Here's a bit more about us: dpac.uk.net/join-dpac/
We are UK based but know disabled people in other countries suffer from austerity and a lack of fundamental rights.
Disabled people must not be the scapegoats for the mistakes of governments.
We will not tolerate a further erosion of our living conditions or our human rights, nor will we sit quietly while they try to take our rights away. #RightsNotCharity@Dis_PPL_Protest
This 'It's Cummings wot did it' stuff takes quite a bit of swallowing. How do you have access to your old bosses' old texts? Still not convinced he has actually left Downing Street...
(And if there's anyone who believes the crap unnamed sources spin to the right wing press I have some fine PPE to sell you.)
A few (circumstantial) facts... in our Public First case Cummings and Cain both gave unsigned witness statements - we pushed for signed versions and Cummings came back with one very late. Cain didn't and they had to pull his evidence. Cain has emerged with a new job and...