Thursday, September 21, 2023
Friends and Family
The Mirror reports that a Tory donor whose company was awarded £160 million worth of PPE contracts has been appointed to a top Government trade role.
They say that David Meller, who is a former chairman of the scandal-hit Presidents Club, has given almost £70,000 to the Conservative Party and politicians since 2009, and is now one of 13 people appointed to the new-look Board of Trade by Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch:
The board is an influential body which advises the Government on policy. Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party chairwoman, said: “The message from the Conservative Government remains clear: give tens of thousands of pounds to the Tories and you’ll be catapulted into positions of power and rewarded with lucrative contracts.”
Mr Meller quit as joint chairman of the Presidents Club charity in 2018 after guests at one of its dinners were claimed to have sexually harassed waiting staff. He also resigned from his post as a non-executive director of the Department for Education. The club closed down in the aftermath. There is no suggestion that Mr Meller was involved in any misconduct.
The businessman owned Meller Designs, a supplier of beauty products and accessories, until January 2021. Less than a month after the first lockdown, in April 2020, Mr Meller took part in a call with Lord Bethell, who was spearheading the Department of Health and Social Care’s procurement of PPE. Although Government records say the meeting was held to talk about Covid-19 testing, minutes show PPE procurement was discussed.
The company was later awarded a total of six contracts worth £160million for PPE. Then-Cabinet minister Michael Gove referred Meller Designs to the “VIP lane”, which awarded contracts to “trusted” suppliers.
The National Audit Office found that companies referred as potential PPE suppliers by Government ministers, MPs or NHS bosses were 10 times more likely to secure contracts. Figures from the Electoral Commission show Mr Meller, 63, has donated £68,488.99 to the Tory Party since 2009.
A just reward, surely.
They say that David Meller, who is a former chairman of the scandal-hit Presidents Club, has given almost £70,000 to the Conservative Party and politicians since 2009, and is now one of 13 people appointed to the new-look Board of Trade by Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch:
The board is an influential body which advises the Government on policy. Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party chairwoman, said: “The message from the Conservative Government remains clear: give tens of thousands of pounds to the Tories and you’ll be catapulted into positions of power and rewarded with lucrative contracts.”
Mr Meller quit as joint chairman of the Presidents Club charity in 2018 after guests at one of its dinners were claimed to have sexually harassed waiting staff. He also resigned from his post as a non-executive director of the Department for Education. The club closed down in the aftermath. There is no suggestion that Mr Meller was involved in any misconduct.
The businessman owned Meller Designs, a supplier of beauty products and accessories, until January 2021. Less than a month after the first lockdown, in April 2020, Mr Meller took part in a call with Lord Bethell, who was spearheading the Department of Health and Social Care’s procurement of PPE. Although Government records say the meeting was held to talk about Covid-19 testing, minutes show PPE procurement was discussed.
The company was later awarded a total of six contracts worth £160million for PPE. Then-Cabinet minister Michael Gove referred Meller Designs to the “VIP lane”, which awarded contracts to “trusted” suppliers.
The National Audit Office found that companies referred as potential PPE suppliers by Government ministers, MPs or NHS bosses were 10 times more likely to secure contracts. Figures from the Electoral Commission show Mr Meller, 63, has donated £68,488.99 to the Tory Party since 2009.
A just reward, surely.
