BORIS Johnson's former adviser Dominic Cummings was instrumental in awarding a government contract to a company run by his friends, according to court documents.

Mr Cummings was involved in the decision to give research company Public First a £500,000 contract without putting it out to tender.

A judicial review, taken by not-for-profit firm The Good Law Project, began today looking into the contract awarded to the reserach firm run by James Frayne and Rachel Wolf - both former colleagues of Mr Cummings and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.

In 2019 Ms Wolf co-wrote the Conservative party’s election manifesto. 

READ MORE: How the Dominic Cummings controversy unfolded: A timeline of events

Public First was paid £564,393 to research the public’s understanding of the coronavirus and the government’s messaging around the pandemic, and one of its partners was seconded to work in Downing Street.

A witness statement from Mr Cummings submitted to the high court today states the former aide was the "driving decision-maker" behind the move to conduct more focus groups and hire Public First.

Mr Cummings described Mr Frayne and Ms Wolf as his “friends”, but added: “Obviously I did not request Public First be brought in because they were my friends. I would never do such a thing.”

He said he "requested" civil servants hire the firm, and added: "I knew they would give us honest information unlike many companies in this sector.

“I am a special adviser and as such I am not allowed to direct civil servants.

“However, as a result of my suggestion I expected people to hire Public First.

"The nature of my role is that sometimes people take what I say as an instruction and that is a reasonable inference as people assume I am often speaking for the Prime Minister." 

READ MORE: Dominic Cummings defends 260 mile trip at press conference

The Good Law Project started the High Court fight as it was concerned about the way the contract was awarded at the start of the pandemic last year. 

Ministers are fighting the claim and and Mr Cummings outlined the reasoning behind the contract award in a written witness statement, seen by Mrs Justice O’Farrell.

A barrister representing the Good Law Project told Mrs Justice O’Farrell that Public First was awarded the contract because Mr Cummings, then chief adviser to Mr Johnson, “wanted” it to have the work.

Jason Coppel QC told the judge at a virtual hearing that “no other provider was considered”.

In documents revealed today, the head of insight and evaluation at the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister’s office described Public First in an email as “mates” of Cummings and Boris Johnson’s former head of communications, Lee Cain, "hence getting all our work with no contract". 

In a witness statement, the official said the email was meant as a joke in an effort to ensure overdue invoices were paid to the company, and it "was not true" that Public First was given the work without a contract because of relationships with Mr Cain and Mr Cummings.

The Herald: Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain

Jason Coppel QC, representing the Good Law Project, referenced another email from the same official which was sent in January.

It related to a contract given to Public First previously, unrelated to the pandemic, and referred to the company as "Tory party research agency tests Tory party narrative on public money". 

READ MORE: UK Govt urged to publish all details of Covid contracts amid 'chumocracy' fears

Mr Coppel QC said that showed senior civil servants had "deep misgivings" about the contract.

However, in her witness statement, the official pointed to the rest of her message, which said "but actually, it will be very interesting and very good". She said her reference was “meant to be frivolous and lighthearted,” and she did not regard Public First as a "Tory party research agency".

The Herald: Rachel Reeves

Now the Labour party's Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has written to Michael Gove about the revelations, stating: "Updates from the Good Law Project include comments from senior civil servants that state Public First are friends with Mr Cummings and 'hence getting all our work with no contract but are also spending much money' on running focus groups, and 'genuine concerns' expressed by a civil servant that Public First were 'too close to No 10 to be objective'.

She has demanded answers to six questions, including the use of a "VIP procurement fast lane" which she claims saw hundreds of contracts awarded after being referred by ministers and MPs.

The Herald: Michael Gove MP

Ms Reeves wrote: "It is still not clear who was awarded a contract through this route or full details of referrals – only that a company was ten times more likely to win a contract through this lane."

She has urged Mr Gove to explain why the "Cabinet Office dismissed these claims as nonsense in July despite the link between Mr Cummings and Public First securing the contract" and asked him to reveal details of all companies awarded contracts through the VIP procurement pathway.

She said: "Today’s findings are troubling and unsurprising, and a perfect example of how this government believes it is one rule for them another for the rest of us. 

“It is appalling that the government not only dismissed these very credible claims of connections influencing this contract as 'nonsense' – but also that it took a judicial review to bring to light what should be publicly available information on how taxpayer money is being spent.

“This government’s contracting has been plagued by cronyism and waste and they must take urgent steps to address this now – by urgently winding down emergency procurement, releasing details of the VIP fast lane, and publishing all outstanding contracts by the end of the month. This cronyism must stop.”