City firms are doing government work for free in the hope of getting future contracts when times are easier and the public aren’t looking:
On one recent government contract five contractors all bid to undertake the work for £1, he said. But Downey also acknowledged that there was a degree of self-interest on the part of firms, which are expecting a resurgence of consultancy in government in the near future.
It’s like medieval nobles showering the king with gifts, knowing he’ll repay them ten times over with other people’s possessions.