DUDLEY'S new MP Sonia Kumar demanded action from the new Government on ‘crony contracts’ and Covid corruption when she gave her first speech in the House of Commons.

The former NHS physiotherapist, who became Dudley's first female MP as Labour swept to victory in the General Election, pressed the new government for action into the wasteful contracts undertaken by the Conservatives during Covid.

Sworn in two weeks ago as the town's new Labour MP, she asked Cabinet Office Ministers what steps they were taking to help ensure that the government gained value for money when contracting services from private companies.

The question was asked during Oral Questions to Ministers from the Cabinet Office on Thursday July 25.

Speaking in the Commons, she said: “During my election, I pledged to raise concerns about the NHS if I were to be elected as Dudley's MP.

“From speaking to voters on the doorstep, I know how angry people in Dudley are at the crony contracts handed out during the pandemic. As an NHS Physiotherapist who worked during Covid-19, I had the misfortune of witnessing first-hand how taxpayers' money was wasted on these contracts.

“We must make sure that this never happens again. Rachel Reeves' pledge to appoint a Covid Corruption Commissioner is a great first-step to make sure that we get value for money from our public finances.”

Responding to her, Georgia Gould MP, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office, thanked Ms Kumar for her service during the Covid pandemic and added: "Billions were spent on PPE that was either unusable, overpriced or under delivered.

“This government is absolutely determine to learn those lessons and safeguard every pound of taxpayers’ money. I’ve met the public sector fraud authority and set out our commitment to driving down fraud across government and we are determined to learn the lessons from the work of the Covid commissioner that will report to Parliament.”