The Guardian reports that Matt Hancock’s use of private emails that bypassed disclosure rules when doing government business have come under scrutiny, as exchanges emerged showing the former health secretary had personally referred an old neighbour wanting an NHS contract on to an official.
Hancock has repeatedly denied that he had any involvement with £50m worth of contracts for NHS test-and-trace supplies secured by Alex Bourne, who used to run the Cock Inn, near Hancock’s old constituency home in Thurlow, Suffolk.
The Guardian revealed last year that the former publican had won the work after sending Hancock a personal WhatsApp message last March, despite having no experience producing medical supplies. Bourne’s company, Hinpack, was at that time producing plastic cups and takeaway boxes for the catering industry.
Full story in The Guardian, 27 June 2021
