The UK Government has published the final terms of reference (“ToR“) for the COVID-19 inquiry (the “Inquiry“), which has now begun work. Unprecedented in its size and significance, the Inquiry will consider over a two-year period the impact of the pandemic on the UK, and how the UK Government, devolved administrations, local government, and many … Read more

Two recent judgments have been handed down, relating to allegations of breach of procurement rules by campaign organisation The Good Law Project against the Government. Both judgments related to procurement decisions made during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic: The High Court held that the Government’s use of a high priority lane in the … Read more

The High Court has found apparent bias on the part of the Government in respect of its award of a contract under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the “PCR“) for the provision of focus group and communication support services without public notice or competition during the early weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic (the “Contract“) (R … Read more

In JD Sports Fashion plc v Competition and Markets Authority [2020] CAT 24, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT”) quashed the Competition and Markets Authority’s (“CMA”) final report on the Phase 2 investigation into the completed acquisition by JD Sports Fashion plc (“JD Sports”) of Footasylum plc (“Footasylum”) on the basis that the CMA had not sought … Read more

The Court of Appeal today handed down its judgment in respect of the proceedings brought by Simon Dolan and others (“the Appellants”) seeking to challenge the lockdown measures introduced in England in March 2020 via the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/350) following the outbreak of COVID-19 (see our earlier post regarding … Read more

In an earlier post, we covered a challenge brought by the entrepreneur Simon Dolan and others (“the Claimants”) seeking to challenge the lockdown measures introduced in England following the outbreak of COVID-19 (“Dolan 1”). At that stage, the Administrative Court had refused permission to apply for judicial review in July on the basis that the … Read more

Following demands from the opposition and various campaigning groups, the Prime Minister has now committed to an independent inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. In previous weeks, the Government had been reluctant to publicly commit to an inquiry, but this pledge in the House of Commons was the first clear statement on the … Read more