You've Got To Pick a Pocket or Two?

The Covid19 pandemic was 'a nice little earner' for some folk. The UK had an initial shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff in the NHS and care homes who had to work with infected patients. The country's government arranged a 'VIP Lane', where favoured potential suppliers could be referred by ministers etc. Some of the subsequent contracts issued, were for hundreds of millions of pounds (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/10/ppe-via-vip-lane-average-80-percent-more-expensive-documents-reveal). The Good Law Project has now found that PPE purchased via the 'VIP Lane', was expensive. It averaged 80% more expensive than comparable items obtained from traditional surgical suppliers. Some items, like surgical gowns, were four times the pre-pandemic going rate. Certain 'VIP Lane' suppliers, also produced PPE that was rejected as 'unuseable' by medics. Some government-friendly folk, were effectively placed on an escalator to extra riches.