‘In a very dark time, it gave me some hope that we could make a change if people like this are doing something.’ – Awards judge
The Campaign
Good Law Project is a not-for-profit that uses the law for a better world. Unusually for this category, it was shortlisted for its broad sweep of work in 2021. Judges felt that it had been both crucial and totemic to efforts to ensure that, during a health emergency, the workings of government remained transparent and lawful. On this page we’ve featured just one of the issues they picked up.
In 2020, Good Law Project learned of lucrative personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts being won by unusual companies – a pest control firm, a confectioner, a hedge fund owned through Mauritius. Contracts had been awarded without advertisement or competition and Good Law Project, believing the Government’s actions were unlawful, launched legal action.
They say ‘The more we scratched the surface, the more evidence of incompetence and croynism we uncovered. We investigated political connections between bidders like Ayanda and Cabinet Ministers. We exposed the vast profits made by middlemen in lucrative PPE deals.’
The campaign filled newspapers, TV screens and social media. It was taken up by the National Audit Office and in Select Committees and PMQs. The Government’s ‘VIP Lane’, which Good Law Project exposed, was found to be unlawful.
Good Law Project heads to court
It’s wonderful to have our work recognised by SMK, and we want to thank whoever nominated us for this award. Good Law Project was founded on the belief that the law has a role to play in creating a better society and we will keep striving to realise that vision.”
Jo Maugham, Director of Good Law Project
Good Law Project heads to court
It’s wonderful to have our work recognised by SMK, and we want to thank whoever nominated us for this award. Good Law Project was founded on the belief that the law has a role to play in creating a better society and we will keep striving to realise that vision.”
Jo Maugham, Director of Good Law Project
The Change
In February 2021, the High Court ruled that the Secretary of State had acted unlawfully by failing to publish Covid-19 contracts in line with its Transparency Policy. It said, ‘The public were entitled to see who this money was going to, what it was being spent on and how the relevant contracts were awarded.’ The Court forced the Government to publish and, finally, contracts were on record for journalists, politicians and the public to scrutinise.
In January 2022, the High Court declared that the VIP Lane for PPE contracts was ‘unlawful. The ruling was a stark warning to anyone working in government who might be tempted to grant preferential treatment on the grounds of political connections.
Whilst success in court was important, the real success in this campaign happened in the court of public opinion. The language of ‘cronyism’ and ‘the PPE contract scandal’ became familiar phrases in discussions of the Government’s response to the pandemic. The breadth of coverage, from tabloids to broadsheets, print to broadcast, to social media across the political spectrum, demonstrated the level of public engagement – and outrage – at this scandal.
The Good Law Project says, ‘Politicians now know that the voters expect better.’
The Future
Good Law Project knows the law is a powerful tool to hold those in power to account and affect positive change. Looking ahead, they want to unlock those tools and empower individuals, partners and communities to litigate for themselves.
Who else was involved?
Good Law Project worked with a cross-party group of MPs to bring legal action regarding unpublished Covid contracts.
They worked with EveryDoctor to bring legal action over the award of PPE contracts to PestFix, Ayanda Capital and Clandeboye.
