Deloitte to avoid tendering for government contracts over the next six months, to appease Theresa May following consultant's report that painted a less-than-flattering picture of Brexit plans
A ‘SELF-IMPOSED EXILE’ on tendering for government contracts has allegedly been imposed by Deloitte, as the firm attempts to defuse the ongoing row with PM Theresa May over its previous comments on Brexit.
Deloitte had infuriated prime minister Theresa May (pictured), and other senior MPs, after a two-page report written by one of its consultants working in Whitehall was leaked – the contents of which suggested tens of thousands of extra civil servants were required to deal with Brexit. It also suggested the number of individual government departmental projects that had been set up to deal with Brexit were unsustainable.
The firm said, in a statement today, that “we have put forward a plan for working with central government to put this matter behind us”.
The Times, which broke the original story last month, said Deloitte had chosen to avoid tendering for government contracts for the next six months. Deloitte would not comment on this suggestion, but added: “Deloitte regrets the publication of the two-page note, and has apologised for the unintended disruption it caused Government. The note was for internal audiences and was not a Deloitte point of view.”
Original reports had suggested the two-page document was intended for the Cabinet Office, which Deloitte has previously refuted.