Bombshell Email: Civil Servant Warned of VIP Lane Risk

A top civil servant running the Tory government's infamous VIP lane during the pandemic secretly warned that it was disrupting efforts to source PPE and could end up costing the taxpayer more money.

That prophetic advice appeared to go unheeded – billions were spent through the VIP lane, including £1billion on stock that was later deemed "not fit for purpose". But alarm bells were ringing before many of those contracts were signed.

We have found a bombshell email among more than 10,000 documents released by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry which reveals deep misgivings among those at the heart of the Tories' frantic response to the rising deaths.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign told us it was "further evidence that the then Conservative government's VIP lane put self-interest and profiteering ahead of getting PPE to frontline workers and care staff".

The Cabinet Office's Max Cairnduff was drafted in to lead the newly established "High Priority Lane" – also known as the VIP lane – throughout April 2020 when, he told the inquiry, he was "in charge of the day to day running of it". He says the lane was set up to deal with the "noise" coming from senior ministers, MPs and others who wanted "higher level contact" after forwarding PPE offers.

In a candid and previously unpublished email to his line manager running the PPE buying team, sent three weeks into the role, Mr Cairnduff said he believed "the China team has the best routes to high volume, sensibly priced PPE offers" – and that the civil servants there should be given the powers and resources to close deals quickly.

He added: "The VIP Cell and the wider sourcing Cells are mostly dealing with intermediaries, many of whom are sourcing from the same factories our China team are already in contract with. There is clear risk of disrupting our already-contracted supply and outbidding ourselves for supply we were already due to receive."

Consequences

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK told Babelfish: "Our members know first-hand the consequences of the failure to deliver PPE quickly and efficiently. Our family members paid the price.

"We look forward to the Covid Inquiry publishing its verdict on 14 July, and hope it finally exposes the full truth."

A list of covid-era PPE deals drawn up by the Cabinet Office shows the "China Buy" team negotiated 59 contracts worth £1.4bn with no reported problems. Meanwhile the VIP lane signed 117 contracts worth £4.2bn, with numerous issues that cost the taxpayer huge sums.

Some £1bn of PPE was bought from 25 suppliers through the VIP lane which was later deemed not fit for purpose, according to Spotlight On Corruption.

In all, Transparency International found "at least 28 contracts worth £4.1bn went to those with known political connections to the party of government".

Crony deals included two for gowns and facemasks worth £203m to newly formed PPE Medpro Limited, which had no record of supplying PPE, after lobbying by Tory peer Baroness Mone. It later emerged more than £60m in profits went to Mone and husband Doug Barrowman, a businessman living on the Isle of Man.

Two companies linked to Mr Barrowman donated more than £200,000 to the Conservatives from 2017 to 2020.

The gowns were never used as tests found them to be non-sterile. PPE Medpro went bust last year owing the Department of Health £148m.

Mone and Barrowman deny all wrongdoing.