Decision to give government contract to Cummings’ friends was unlawful – judge

A High Court judge has ruled that a Government decision to award a contract to a company whose bosses were friends of adviser Dominic Cummings was unlawful (Jonathan Brady/PA)

A decision by the UK government to award a contract to a company whose bosses were friends of adviser Dominic Cummings was unlawful, a High Court judge has ruled.

Campaigners took legal action against the Cabinet Office over the decision to pay more than £500,000 of taxpayers’ money to market research firm Public First, following the start of the coronavirus crisis in March 2020, and questioned the involvement of Mr Cummings.