Labour’s Rachel Reeves is set to announce investigations into over £600m worth of Covid contracts awarded under the Conservatives, as the party tries to regain ground on the moral high ground amidst allegations of unethical behavior. Reeves plans to refer more than half of contracts for masks and other materials to the incoming Covid corruption commissioner, after the previous government had recommended dropping investigations into them.
This move is part of Labour’s fightback as they kick off their annual conference, where Keir Starmer is already facing scrutiny over accepting donations and gifts from donors. The VIP lane for Covid contract awards was a contentious issue under the previous government, leading to accusations of a “chumocracy”.
Reeves will highlight the billions of pounds handed out to friends and donors of the Conservative party and the urgent need for a Covid corruption commissioner. She aims to ensure that no contracts are waived until they have been independently assessed by the commissioner.
The Labour party is facing internal pushback over decisions made by the government, including cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners and scandals involving donations to senior members. The party’s support is beginning to waver, with polls suggesting that some Labour loyalists may consider voting for other parties.
Reeves’ speech will focus on restoring morale at the conference with promises of new investigations into Covid contracts and a commitment to no return to austerity. She believes that £2.6bn can be recovered from waste, fraud, and flawed contracts and is optimistic about the economic outlook under Labour’s leadership.
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