Covid Inquiry Urged to Recommend Laws preventing Pandemic Profiteering
London – As the UK’s Covid-19 inquiry continues, public health expert Devi Sridhar is urging recommendations for legislation to prevent future exploitation of crises for personal financial gain, citing widespread alleged corruption during the pandemic. Analysis by The New York Times of 1,200 government contracts worth nearly $22 billion revealed that almost half were awarded to companies linked to Conservative party politicians or those lacking relevant experience.
The inquiry presents an opportunity to safeguard taxpayers’ funds, Sridhar argues, by establishing strict rules that prevent profiteering during emergencies. Jolyon Maugham of the Good Law Project highlighted the potential for “vast financial rewards” for those with political connections, estimating that more than £4 in every £5 spent on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was wasted or lost. Sridhar suggests naming potential legislation after Michelle Mone, whose case has become emblematic of alleged pandemic profiteering, as a means of both remembrance and deterrence.
Sridhar emphasizes a fundamental contrast in human response to crises: while some seek to help, others see opportunities for personal enrichment. She advocates for proactive legislation,enacted during times of peace,to preemptively block such exploitation,even when politicians are willing to facilitate it.
The call for reform comes as the inquiry continues to examine the UK government’s handling of the pandemic,including procurement processes and the awarding of contracts.
Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh.
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