Government mandarin director of firm that won passport contract

On the surface this stinks.

"A legal battle was looming last night over the £400million contract to produce new hi-tech passports.

A losing bidder is threatening action over the fact that one of Gordon Brown's senior mandarins is a director of the firm which won the contract.

Gill Rider, a leading member of the Cabinet Office, not only directs the hiring of senior civil servants but is also director of De La Rue printers, which last week secured the job of producing biometric passports.

Rival firm 3M, furious that its bid was rejected, is considering a legal challenge based on potential conflict of interest."

Thanks to Peter Sommer via FIPR for the pointer.