Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
- savvypaul
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
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- slinger (Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:32 pm) • terrybooth (Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:47 am)
- slinger
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
Consider that "borrowed," Paul.
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
Covid: Matt Hancock acted unlawfully over pandemic contracts...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56125462
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56125462
- slinger
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
This is the update I received from the Good Law Project earlier.
The High Court has ruled “The Secretary of State acted unlawfully by failing to comply with the Transparency Policy” and that “there is now no dispute that, in a substantial number of cases, the Secretary of State breached his legal obligation to publish Contract Award Notices within 30 days of the award of contracts.” We have won the judicial review we brought alongside Debbie Abrahams MP, Caroline Lucas MP, and Layla Moran MP.
In handing down the judgment, Judge Chamberlain brought into sharp focus why this case was so important. “The Secretary of State spent vast quantities of public money on pandemic-related procurements during 2020. The public were entitled to see who this money was going to, what it was being spent on and how the relevant contracts were awarded.”
The Judge went on to say that if Government had complied with its legal obligations we “would have been able to scrutinise CANs and contract provisions, ask questions about them and raise any issues with oversight bodies such as the NAO or via MPs in Parliament.” When Government eschews transparency, it evades accountability.
Government’s behaviour came under criticism in the judgment. If it had admitted to being in breach of the law when we first raised our concerns, it would have never been necessary to take this judicial review to its conclusion. Instead, they chose a path of obfuscation, racking up over £200,000 of legal costs as a result.
We shouldn’t be forced to rely on litigation to keep those in power honest, but in this case it’s clear that our challenge pushed Government to comply with its legal obligations. Judge Chamberlain stated that the admission of breach by Government was “secured as a result of this litigation and at a late stage of it” and “I have no doubt that this claim has speeded up compliance”. It begs the question, if we hadn’t brought this legal challenge, what other contract details would have remained hidden from view?
And whilst Government always sought to dismiss our challenge by claiming we needed to be an ‘economic operator’ to have standing, the judgment states that it is unrealistic that economic operators would have challenged Government’s breach of the law in these circumstances. In other words, if we hadn’t taken this case, there are not many others who could have done so.
This judgment, which can be found here, is a victory for all of us concerned with proper governance and proof of the power of litigation to hold Government to account. But there is still a long way to go before the Government’s house is in order. We have now written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care detailing what needs to be done to improve procurement processes and ensure value for British taxpayers.
But for now, we can take a moment to celebrate this win. Thank you, as ever, for all your support.
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- slinger
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
My "Tweet Of The Day" today, goes to...
Julian Lane*
@julesspaceman
Send a rocket to Mars, get it to slow down from 20k mph to 2 mph, land it and deploy a vehicle & helicopter and remote control it from Earth. Cost. 3 Billion quid.
UK test and trace. 26 billion quid. Doesn’t work.
12:38 PM · Feb 19, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
What gets me about these types of humerous tweets, is that the government parties envolved get to laugh twice.
Kevin.
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
Just think for a mere £3bn we could have had Boris Johnson delivered to Mars, opportunity missed methinks, though they may have needed a bigger rocket.
- slinger
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
I know what you're saying, but that old saying about "if you don't laugh you'll cry," is pretty much on the mark. There's a long tradition of "graveyard humour," and besides, if I thought the bastards were actually seeing my posts they'd be a lot fucking ruder.
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
Yes absolutely. No subject should be beyond humour. Freedom of humour, freedom of speech. I reckon BB is watching yours posts, be as rude as you like!
Kevin.
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- Fretless
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Re: Opinions on how the Government have handled the coronavirus outbreak
In Europe there is (grudging) admiration for the UK's fast vaccination programme.
If The Netherlands had run at the same speed we would have the entire country done by now! However this little country is dominated by bureaucrats who's major talent is slowing things down and making excuses.
Same old story everywhere.
If The Netherlands had run at the same speed we would have the entire country done by now! However this little country is dominated by bureaucrats who's major talent is slowing things down and making excuses.
Same old story everywhere.
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