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Gemma Abbott Profile picture
Gemma Abbott
@gem_abbott
Legal Director @TheHowardLeague. Trustee @DignityInDying. Views my own. She/her 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Nov 24, 2022 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
Neil O’Brien was factually inaccurate - repeatedly - about the use of the VIP lane for PPE procurement in the Commons today

Here are a few corrections 🧵

(FYI @AngelaRayner @david_conn 👇) VIP lane referrals didn’t go through the same process as everyone else - that’s why the High Court found it unlawful

- VIP treatment sped up the process, which meant offers were considered sooner in a context where timing was critical

- VIPs’ hands were held through the process
Oct 13, 2022 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
Remember when the Met Police Federation told us 74 police officers were injured at Notting Hill Carnival?

I thought it might be worth asking the Met via FOI if that was true &, if so, what injuries had occurred

They replied today. Turns out the numbers weren’t quite right… Screenshot of tweet from Met Police Federation dated 30th Au The Met told me there was some “double counting” & in fact 60 officers recorded injuries on the corporate injury recording system…
Sep 7, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
If you thought it strange that Randox aren’t on the list of Test & Trace VIPs revealed by @GoodLawProject…

Introducing Qnostics!

Qnostics is the “strategic partner” of Randox and is ultimately owned by Peter Fitzgerald (founder of Randox) Randox and Qnostics were awarded Covid testing contracts worth a maximum of £776.9 million 🤯

Some details from the NAO (with the full report here: nao.org.uk/reports/invest…) Screenshot of NAO report th...
Aug 18, 2022 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
📣 Good news: the Government’s free period products scheme for schools will run for at least another two years

@phsgroup have successfully re-tendered for the contract

A few observations from a quick review… ✅ Period pants will now be available for schools to order

They’re not a panacea for “period poverty” but they’re a good option for many young people to try, especially if their periods are light
Aug 18, 2022 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
Period poverty is a facet of poverty, with an extra layer of patriarchal bullshit

Menstrual products are *not* generally available for those who are also struggling to heat their homes, or put enough food on the table… Nor are they always available at home for those who can’t discuss periods, for whatever reason (cultural or social)…
Aug 18, 2022 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Having flashbacks to the time @JolyonMaugham & I thought a good way for @GoodLawProject to hear from students affected by the 2020 A Levels algorithm fiasco was to share my email in a tweet

It was like in Gremlins when they gave Mogwai food after midnight - but with emails 😱😆 Tweet from Good Law Project... We heard from (literally) thousands of students affected by Ofqual’s unfair algorithm

@GoodLawProject ended up supporting six of them to launch legal action 👇

inews.co.uk/news/education…
May 3, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
A £132.4m contract was awarded without competition to Randox on 30 March 2020

Civil servants were worried about the lack of clarity on value just 3 weeks later 😬👇

Tory MP Owen Paterson resigned last year after it emerged he had lobbied for Randox whilst on their payroll An NAO investigation found:
🚩missing evidence of any proper due diligence, records of contractual negotiations & consideration of conflicts of interest
🚩insufficient price benchmarking
🚩no key performance measures in the contract
🚩failure to report Ministerial meetings
Apr 28, 2022 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
Matt Hancock is trying hard to convince us all that he wasn’t responsible for unlawful policies that led to thousands of care home residents dying - he blames PHE

As well as being morally reprehensible, his “defence” is untenable

Let’s look at some documents from the case… 🧵 Headline from the Telegraph that states “Matt Hancock: Pub Matt Hancock claims the High Court judgment says that he did not receive advice from PHE on the risks associated with asymptomatic transmission

But that isn’t what the judgment says… Clip from Telegraph article that says “Writing for the Tel
Apr 27, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Once again, Johnson has misled the House

He says Govt didn’t know about asymptomatic transmission when it allowed hospital patients with Covid to be transferred to care homes without proper mitigations

This is untrue - as the High Court found today 🧵 The High Court said “it is apparent that the changing evidential picture was recognised within Government” and cites Lord Bethell’s remark in the HoL on 9 March & Sir Patrick Vallance’s comments on the Today programme on 13 March re asymptomatic transmission Screenshot of paragraphs 276 of the High Court judgment in t
Apr 27, 2022 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Disappointed to read that the Supreme Court has dismissed the Coughlan appeal over the lawfulness of Voter ID pilots run in 2019 local elections

supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uks… Voter ID is a “solution” for a problem that doesn’t exist - and it will lead to disenfranchisement of people from ethnic minority and working class communities

theguardian.com/politics/2021/…