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Leaked documents revealed that ‘Operation Moonshot’, the Government’s plan to increase its Coronavirus testing programme, was based on technology that didn’t even exist yet – and would cost over £100 billion. But, in March 2021, the courts refused permission for a judicial review.
Last month, the Courts refused ‘permission’ on the papers for the judicial review over ‘Operation Moonshot’, the case we were bringing alongside EveryDoctor, Aron Cohen, and Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity. We had applied for an oral ‘renewal’ of our permission application but we have taken the decision to ‘pull’ the case. You can find out more here.
‘Operation Moonshot’ is the Government’s latest plan to increase the national coronavirus testing programme. The need for increased testing couldn’t be clearer. Yet leaked documents have revealed Operation Moonshot is based on technology that doesn’t even exist yet – and will cost over £100 billion.
This is a staggering sum of money – a generational-sized millstone of debt. Yet we know nothing about who has made the decision to spend it, or with what safeguards, or with whom, or why with these counterparties.
What we do know is that experts from SAGE, the Royal Statistical Society, the National Screening Committee, and the World Health Organisation have grave concerns about whether it is the right thing to do. We have outlined their concerns in our Pre-Action Protocol letter here.
We cannot afford more incompetence and wasted money when the stakes are this high. We need honest and open answers from this Government about ‘Operation Moonshot’. But the Government is not forthcoming – it has ignored letters from our lawyers – which is why, along with EveryDoctor, we are taking legal action to get answers.
Good Law Project and EveryDoctor have instructed Bindmans and Maya Lester QC from Brick Court Chambers and Joseph Barrett from 11KBW.
The legal challenge is being crowdfunded. If you are in a position to do so, you can make a donation here.
Good Law Project only exists thanks to donations from people across the UK. We are incredibly grateful to all of our supporters, without whom our work would not be possible.
Every single penny that we receive makes a huge difference to our ability to hold those in power to account and demand a better, fairer future.
If you’re in a position to support our work, you can do so here. Thank you
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