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Case Update

Jacob Rees-Mogg

4th September 2020

Yesterday in Parliament, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP was questioned over the PPE fiasco that has seen the Government spend hundreds of millions of pounds on protective equipment that can’t be used by the NHS. The contract in question was handed to Ayanda Capital, an opaque private fund, with links to a Government advisor. His response?

“It is equally right that those decisions are held to account within this House, this is why we have such an honest and uncorrupt country.”

But whilst in public, the Government claims openness and transparency the story behind the scenes is a very different one. A claim brought by Good Law Project, along with MPs Debbie Abrahams, Caroline Lucas, and Layla Moran points out that Government is – beyond any doubt – breaking the law by failing to publish procurement contracts. Moreover, lawyers acting on behalf of Good Law Project and EveryDoctor in the legal challenge over Ayanda’s questionable PPE contract have written to the High Court expressing dismay at the Government’s lack of transparency. 

“The Defendant’s failure candidly and transparently to address that point is reprehensible.”

The full blistering legal letter can be read here.  

Our legal team has also written to the Government to question why Ayanda Capital, linked to a Government advisor, received more favourable contract terms than other businesses who were given contracts to supply PPE. 

Jacob Rees-Mogg claims there is no funny business. On the evidence we have – only some of which we can put into the public domain – we are a long way from being persuaded he is right.


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Case

This article is part of our Scrutinising PPE Procurement case

This legal campaign helped draw wide attention to the institutionalisation of cronyism in the VIP lane.
The Court found that the VIP lane, through which Ayanda and Pestfix, won their contracts, was illegal.

See more about this case