George Pascoe-Watson, chairman of Portland Communications, was appointed during the first Covid wave by Lord Bethell, the test and trace minister, without the move being made public. He later sent sensitive information on lockdown policy to paying clients. Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, said Mr Pascoe-Watson’s appointment was “incomprehensible”. Former journalist Pascoe-Watson, 55, is reported to have served as an adviser to the Department of Health during the first wave of the pandemic, starting on April 9. (Image: Dan Charity)For six months he attended daily meetings chaired by Lord Bethel, some of which involved Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding.

Source: Daily Mirror November 15, 2020 12:49 UTC