Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WORLD BEATING ..AT CORRUPTION
» Global body » Dyson ‘fix it’ red-flags 1 in 5 claims ‘sleazy’ Covid contracts say Opposition
A GLOBAL anti-corruption group found “red flags” in almost 20% of Government Covid contracts.
Transparency International found 73 contracts signed last year, worth more than £3.7billion, that raised “one or more red flags for possible corruption”.
Chief executive Daniel Bruce said: “The frequency with which Covidrelated contracts were awarded to those with political connections is deeply concerning and... cannot be explained away as coincidence.”
PM Boris Johnson was yesterday also criticised for “fixing tax breaks for his friends”.
Labour called for the Commons Liaison Committee to launch an inquiry into Boris Johnson’s conduct. The party urged No10 to release details of any other communications between ministers, officials and external commercial lobbyists. At PMQS, Keir Starmer said the PM’S texts with billionaire Sir James Dyson at the start of the pandemic were “jaw-dropping”. He accused the Government of “sleaze” after it was revealed the PM had promised the tycoon’s staff would not have to pay extra tax to come to the UK to manufacture ventilators. The Labour leader asked if up to three million people “excluded” from Covid support, or nurses facing a measly 1% pay rise, would get the same help if they had the PM’S mobile number.
He said: “What this shows once again is the extent of the sleaze and cronyism... at the heart of his Conservative Government.”
Labour sent activists dressed as Johnson, David Cameron, Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock to No10 bran- dishing large envelopes of
“taxpayers’ money”. But Mr Johnson refused to make “absolutely any apology at all”. A statement for James Dyson said: “Our ventilator cost Dyson £20m, freely given to the national cause. Mercifully they were not required as medical understanding of the virus evolved.
“Not one penny was claimed from any Government, in any jurisdiction. It is absurd to suggest that the urgent correspondence was anything other than seeking compliance with rules.”
Mr Johnson yesterday said he would release personal correspondence on his phone relating to Covid contracts, but No10 had not done so by last night. The Government said: “We have used existing rules to buy lifesaving equipment. All PPE procurement went through the same... process and due diligence is carried out on every contract. Ministers have no role in awarding them.”