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SubscriptionsColumn / Investigation: Cronyism and Corruption
Byline Times uncovers the nepotism that greases the wheels of British politics.
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Selective Sleaze: The Crescendo of the Cronyism Crisis
With a tabloid feeding frenzy over a minister’s alleged affair, Sam Bright, Peter Jukes and Hardeep Matharu explore the wider public issues concealed by personal scandal
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How Much Did We Pay For PPE? Data the Government Doesn’t Want to Reveal
John Lubbock inspects data that has been leaked and accidentally released about the amount the UK actually paid for PPE during the Coronavirus crisis
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The Transparency Gap: Government Publishes £4.2 Billion in PPE Contracts a Year Late
The Prime Minister previously claimed that ‘all the details are on the record’, reports Sam Bright
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£400 Million COVID Contract Winners Go On to Donate £615,000 to Conservatives
The Conservative Party’s coffers have been boosted by some of the individuals and firms that have benefitted from public sector deals during the Coronavirus crisis
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The Anatomy of a PPE Deal Awarded to a Matt Hancock Associate
After Dominic Cummings was pressed on Government procurement, during which the Health and Social Care Secretary attracted scathing criticism, Sam Bright reveals more alleged details about a £14.4 million PPE contract
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Government Faces Both Ways on Conflicts of Interest
New official guidance makes a mockery of the UK’s procurement policies during the Coronavirus pandemic, reports Sam Bright
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£7 Billion COVID Bailout for Private Train Firms Includes £70 Million ‘Management Fees’
Private rail operators are still making millions of pounds, despite the difficulties caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, reports Sam Bright
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Downing Street Refurbishment Conducted by Firm With Conservative Links
Two Tory peers and a Government ‘advisor’ have close ties a firm tasked with revamping Downing Street, Sam Bright reveals
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Corruption Doesn’t Come With One Clear Smoking Gun – Which Is Why It’s So Hard to Expose
Iain Overton on investigative reporting, systemic nepotism and why the ‘War on Woke’ is a smokescreen
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From Cameron to COVID: 10 Years of Broken Transparency Promises
John Lubbock explains how the Coronavirus pandemic has unravelled the Government’s glib commitment to openness over public contracts
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Government Pays £38 Million to Firm After Reneging on COVID Contract
Matt Hancock’s department was forced to pay a large settlement to a company after deciding to pull out of a ‘Test and Trace’ deal, reports Stephen Delahunty
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£11.6 Billion in Public Contracts Won by Registered Lobbying Firms Since 2015
Companies that aim to influence government policy have been awarded deals worth billions in recent years
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Will Johnson’s ‘Major Sleaze’ Allegations Stick when Chumocracy is Already ‘Just the Way the World Works?’
Maheen Behrana doubts whether Keir Starmer’s new barb will resonate with the general public
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Against the Wall: How Johnson’s Cronyism Contributed to his Woeful Mishandling of the Coronavirus Pandemic
From “she’s buying gold wallpaper” to “let the bodies pile high”, questions must be asked about the priority the Prime Minister gave to the pandemic when it emerged last year – at the same time as he was worrying about matters closer to home
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Firm Owned by Boris Johnson’s ‘Downing Street Donor’ was Allowed to Bid for £130 Million Public Contracts
A company founded and owned by Lord Brownlow has been awarded access to public contracts
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Archbishop of Fantasy: Political Corruption and the Ethic of Forgiveness
Justin Welby’s suggestion corrupt politicians should be forgiven misses the need for reparations in Christian teaching, explains Reverend Joe Haward
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Government of the Redacted, by the Redacted, for the Redacted
Sam Bright reports on how officials have struck-out crucial information in two uncomfortable cases
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‘We Did Everything We Could’: Four Reasons Why the Government’s COVID Narrative is False
PPE procurement, Test and Trace, Nightingale hospitals, ventilators… Sam Bright rebuts the official rhetoric with some facts
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I Exposed the Dark Arts of Lobbying – A Decade On Nothing’s Changed
Iain Overton recalls his undercover investigation into a notorious PR firm and explains why the scandal around lobbying and the ‘revolving door’ has worsened under Boris Johnson’s Government
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Political Links to Firm that Prompted Greensill Demise
Sam Bright reports how a former Downing Street director of communications, a diplomat and an ex-First Minister of Wales all have ties to the company that worked in tandem with Greensill
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David Cameron: Johnson’s Convenient Scapegoat
With his dual tactics of projection and deflection, the current Prime Minister has pulled off a masterstroke by launching an inquiry into the former Prime Minister’s conflicts of interest, says Hardeep Matharu
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Conflict of Interest Concerns Over £15 Million COVID Contract
A new Government deal raises further questions about the Government’s approach to conflict of interest transparency
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Dido Harding Hands More Power to Local Health Teams in NHS Test and Trace Trial
After months of pressure, more responsibility has been handed to local contact tracers, reports Sam Bright
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Mapping the Pandemic: £2 Billion in Contracts Awarded to Conservative Associates
Pulling together a year of evidence, Byline Times and The Citizens can reveal that deals worth billions have been awarded to top Conservative Party associates during the Coronavirus crisis
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Mapping the Pandemic: £1 Billion in Contracts Awarded to Conservative Donors
One year after the first COVID-19 lockdown, Byline Times and The Citizens can reveal that almost a billion pounds in Government contracts has been awarded to 15 firms that are linked to millions of pounds of Conservative donations
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‘Influence Without Power’: How Management Consultants had a Very Profitable Pandemic
As news emerges that the Test and Trace programme budgeted for £438 million to be spent on management consultants, Matthew Gwyther delves into the inner workings of the industry
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Conservative Lord’s £100 Million Link to Private Government Contractor
The Tory peer and senior Cabinet Office official appears to have benefitted financially from a firm that has won millions in public sector contracts
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Reform Without Funding?: Renewed Concerns Over Children’s Social Care Review
The Department for Education has made it clear that the head of the review will face funding constraints and operate under the watchful gaze of Government officials, reports Sam Bright
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Conservative Donor’s Firm Surpasses £200 Million in COVID-19 Contracts
The company has won two more contracts worth £46.1 million, Sam Bright reports
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New £14.4 Million Government Contract Awarded to Firm Owned by Conservative Donor
The company owner has donated more than £2.5 million to the Tory Party in recent years
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Several Years’ Worth of Expensive PPE Purchased by Government, New Stats Show
Paying inflated rates to companies without competition, Matt Hancock bought a vast excess of equipment, official records reveal
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Owner of Firm Awarded £275 Million in COVID Contracts Makes Donation to Conservatives
The owner of a medical company that won huge PPE contacts has donated to Boris Johnson’s party
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New £19 Million COVID Contract Awarded to Conservative Donor
Firms which have donated money to the governing party have now been awarded COVID-19 deals worth £900 million, though the latest firm denies any political interference
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Hancock’s PPE Legacy: ‘Mad Scramble’ Left Supplies Stranded at Ports and Air Sites
Sam Bright and Katie Tarrant unmask the Health and Social Care Secretary’s baseless claims about PPE procurement
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Government Pays Firm £4.3 Million One Month Before Appointing its Founder to Education Role
Gavin Williamson’s department is paying millions to a company founded by the chair of a Government social care review
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The Dangers of Disaster Apathy: Why Matt Hancock Should Resign
From crony contracts to Test and Trace turmoil, the Health and Social Care Secretary has been at the epicentre of Government incompetence during the Coronavirus pandemic, says Sam Bright
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Cummings’ Claims About Media Spin Contradicted by Official Records
The Prime Minister’s former chief aide has been attempting to defend his role in COVID contracts, yet at least one of his claims doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, reports Sam Bright
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Firm Chaired by Government Procurement Advisor Awarded £38 Million Contract
A Department of Health and Social Care insider has seen a company he chairs awarded a large public sector contract, reports Sam Bright
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Friend of Matt Hancock Wins £14.4 Million PPE Contract
The firm is owned by the wife of a horse breeder who has donated thousands to the Health and Social Care Secretary, reports Sam Bright
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The Crony Ratio: £800 Million in COVID Contracts to Donors who have Given £8 Million to Conservatives
Byline Times and The Citizens add up the staggering total value of deals awarded during the Coronavirus pandemic to donors of the Conservative Party
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Firm Owned by a Tory Donor Who Is Dido Harding’s Colleague Wins £5.9 Million in Government COVID-19 Deals
The owner of a private equity company has donated £10,000 to Matt Hancock, and sits of the board of NHS Improvement. One of his firms has won Government Coronavirus contracts worth millions
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£2.5 Million Government Contracts for Firm that Donated Over £240,000 to Conservative Party
Another company with links to the ruling party has been awarded multi-million-pound deals during the Coronavirus pandemic
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‘Crony Bill’ To Tackle Procurement Scandal Passes First Commons Hurdle After Government ‘Handed Out Public Contracts Like Sweeties to Friends’
The proposed law would ensure that ministers cannot get away with awarding contracts to friends of the Government without facing scrutiny, reports Sam Bright
