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The full extent of former Conservative Party Chairman, Lord Feldman’s involvement in the PPE VIP lane scandal during the pandemic has been exposed by new documents released by the Covid Inquiry.
Records released to the Good Law Project, following a lengthy Freedom of Information request battle in 2021, had already revealed that Feldman had referred three suppliers on the VIP lane – also known as the High Priority Lane. These firms (SG recruitment, Maxima Markets and Skinny Dip) then went on to secure lucrative PPE contracts from the former Conservative Government.
However, the Covid Inquiry has now published documents that suggest the Conservative Peer’s involvement in the VIP lane scandal was much more extensive.
Michael Gove Told Officials to Buy 10,000 Ventilators From Dyson During Pandemic in ‘Affront’ to Procurement Rules
Evidence published by the Covid Inquiry reveals that the Conservative Minister was “insistent that an order” was placed with leading Brexiter Sir James Dyson’s firm
Feldman was ‘secretly’ hired by the Department of Health and Social Care in early 2020 to advise ministers on PPE procurement. It has now been revealed that he lobbied officials on multiple occasion on behalf of another VIP lane supplier, Meller Designs – owned by Conservative Party Donor David Meller and long time acquaintance of former Cabinet Minister Michael Gove.
Furthermore, evidence published by the Inquiry suggests Feldman referred a further 18 companies onto the VIP lane – albeit they didn’t subsequently secure a deal.
Here’s what the new evidence reveals:
Lord Feldman and Meller Designs
- On 3 April 2020, Lord Feldman and Lord Bethell emailed civil servants working in the VIP lane to chase progress on an offer of FFP3 face masks by Meller Design. The company’s owner, David Meller has donated circa £60,000 to the Conservative Party. According to records, Feldman stated in his email that Mr Meller was “a good friend of Michael Gove”.
- In early May 2020, Feldman came to Meller’s rescue again after civil servants had raised concerns over the suitability of IIR Masks being proposed by Meller Design. According to a witness statement published by the inquiry, the firm needed to obtain approval from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), known as a “derogation” to allow the masks to be used in the NHS. Feldman lobbied officials at the Cabinet Office to “expedite the process”.
- Feldman’s Private secretary also liaised directly with officials at the MHRA to ensure the “derogation request recieve their immediate attention”. Two weeks later “a contract for the type IIR masks was subsequently awarded” to Meller Designs.
- Meller Designss went on to secure six PPE contracts via the VIP lane worth circa £160 million in value.
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Lord Feldman and 18 Further VIP Referrals
The true extent of Lord Feldman’s influence over civil servants in the VIP lane has started to emerge from the Covid Inquiry. A witness statement provided by a Cabinet Office civil servant provided explosive new evidence, namely:
- Lord Feldman was involved in the referral of three companies to the HPL who later received contracts, and “referred at least 18 other companies to the HPL that did not receive contracts”
- The inquiry documents list the new companies as follows: “Aquanima, Ben Gerbi Consulting, BHA Medical, Covaflu, FOSROC International, JDM Global Retail Solution, JHT Group, Lancea Partners, Mary Gorman, Next Pharma International, Nick Mason, Padma Textiles HK, Protector Plus LLC, Rostam Capital, Rowena Johnson, SGH Global, Suttersmill and The Hut Group.”
- The Civil servant goes on to note: “As might be expected of a former party chair, some of his referrals had some connection to the Conservative Party but others did not.” This included two firm linked “linked to Ben Elliott, then Chair of the Conservative Party” and another company FOSROC International “linked to Jim Hay, a party donor”.
This week, Byline Times revealed that Conservative party fixer Lord Feldman had lobbied Boris Johnson to Push through a ventilator contract for Dyson. Private messages between Boris Johnson and his team reveal they were “on a mission” to secure the contract with leading Brexiteer James Dyson.
