Just when you thought British politics couldn’t get more filthy, this happens.
The Labour government appears poised to hand a £2.5 billion, 15-year contract to a consortium that reads like a rogues’ gallery of scandal: Israel’s leading drone manufacturer, Elbit Systems, and US management consultancy Bain and Company.
The former is understood to be complicit in Gaza’s bloodshed, the latter was blacklisted for colluding in one of South Africa’s most notorious corruption scandals.
Elbit: a company with blood on its hands?
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, supplying 85 per cent of the drones used by the Israeli military.
These drones have been central to Israel’s operations in Gaza, an area where human rights organizations have documented extensive civilian casualties.
In July 2025, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese published a report accusing Elbit of complicity in what she termed “plausibly genocidal conduct” in Gaza.
Her report highlighted Elbit’s close cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Defence, embedding key staff and providing a critical domestic supply of weaponry.
Despite this damning assessment, Elbit’s UK subsidiary is now in line to become the British Army’s “Strategic Training Partner,” responsible for training up to 60,000 troops annually.
This move raises serious ethical questions about the UK’s complicity in the actions of a company directly involved in controversial military operations.
Bain & Company: a history of corruption
Bain & Company, a US-based management consultancy, is the second partner in the consortium bidding for the contract.
In 2022, the UK Cabinet Office placed Bain on a procurement blacklist due to its involvement in South Africa’s “state capture” scandal under former President Jacob Zuma.
The Zondo Commission of Inquiry found that Bain had colluded with Zuma’s ally, Tom Moyane, to take over the South African Revenue Service, undermining its effectiveness and facilitating corruption.
Although the UK government later removed the ban, citing Bain’s “self-cleansing” efforts, the company’s past raises serious concerns about its suitability for a contract of this magnitude.
The Labour government, which has previously expressed concerns about Bain’s conduct, now appears ready to overlook its history and give it a lucrative deal.
Allegations of impropriety in the bidding process
The controversy surrounding this contract deepens with allegations of improper conduct during the bidding process.
Whistleblower reports suggest that Brigadier Philip Kimber, a former British Army officer, breached Ministry of Defence (MoD) rules by advising Elbit Systems UK shortly after leaving military service.
Kimber reportedly attended internal Elbit meetings and engaged in discussions relevant to the bid during a mandatory cooling-off period, in breach of business appointment guidelines.
Despite these allegations, a delayed internal MoD investigation found no commercial advantage had been gained and allowed Elbit to proceed in the competition.
This raises questions about the integrity of the procurement process and whether proper safeguards are in place to prevent undue influence.
Labour’s hypocrisy: from critic to collaborator
Labour’s stance on this issue is particularly hypocritical.
Just last year, Labour officials explored re-imposing Bain’s UK ban.
Now, without so much as a credible public explanation, they seem ready to reward it with a contract at the very heart of national defence.
This about-face is deeply troubling. It is not the change that voters were promised.
A moral and strategic quagmire
The UK military is about to be trained by a consortium that has profited from wars abroad and undermined democracy elsewhere.
Is this a strategic decision, or just political obliviousness?
Labour promised change.
Accountability.
Ethics.
Yet here it is, on the verge of institutionalising companies whose records are the very opposite.
What the blazes is going on?
If the government proceeds, it won’t just be a PR disaster — it will be a glaring moral and strategic failure.
Vox Political‘s verdict
Labour’s potential decision to award a £2.5 billion military training contract to a consortium involving Elbit Systems and Bain & Company is deeply concerning.
The ethical implications are profound, and the potential damage to the UK’s international reputation is significant.
Labour’s leaders need to reconsider this approach and ensure that any contracts awarded are to companies with a proven track record of ethical conduct and respect for human rights.
The UK deserves better than to be complicit in the actions of companies with such troubling histories – and, indeed, current behaviour.
Why the blazes is Labour poised to give a huge military contract to possible genocide enablers?
Just when you thought British politics couldn’t get more filthy, this happens.
The Labour government appears poised to hand a £2.5 billion, 15-year contract to a consortium that reads like a rogues’ gallery of scandal: Israel’s leading drone manufacturer, Elbit Systems, and US management consultancy Bain and Company.
The former is understood to be complicit in Gaza’s bloodshed, the latter was blacklisted for colluding in one of South Africa’s most notorious corruption scandals.
Elbit: a company with blood on its hands?
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, supplying 85 per cent of the drones used by the Israeli military.
These drones have been central to Israel’s operations in Gaza, an area where human rights organizations have documented extensive civilian casualties.
In July 2025, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese published a report accusing Elbit of complicity in what she termed “plausibly genocidal conduct” in Gaza.
Her report highlighted Elbit’s close cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Defence, embedding key staff and providing a critical domestic supply of weaponry.
Despite this damning assessment, Elbit’s UK subsidiary is now in line to become the British Army’s “Strategic Training Partner,” responsible for training up to 60,000 troops annually.
This move raises serious ethical questions about the UK’s complicity in the actions of a company directly involved in controversial military operations.
Bain & Company: a history of corruption
Bain & Company, a US-based management consultancy, is the second partner in the consortium bidding for the contract.
In 2022, the UK Cabinet Office placed Bain on a procurement blacklist due to its involvement in South Africa’s “state capture” scandal under former President Jacob Zuma.
The Zondo Commission of Inquiry found that Bain had colluded with Zuma’s ally, Tom Moyane, to take over the South African Revenue Service, undermining its effectiveness and facilitating corruption.
Although the UK government later removed the ban, citing Bain’s “self-cleansing” efforts, the company’s past raises serious concerns about its suitability for a contract of this magnitude.
The Labour government, which has previously expressed concerns about Bain’s conduct, now appears ready to overlook its history and give it a lucrative deal.
Allegations of impropriety in the bidding process
The controversy surrounding this contract deepens with allegations of improper conduct during the bidding process.
Whistleblower reports suggest that Brigadier Philip Kimber, a former British Army officer, breached Ministry of Defence (MoD) rules by advising Elbit Systems UK shortly after leaving military service.
Kimber reportedly attended internal Elbit meetings and engaged in discussions relevant to the bid during a mandatory cooling-off period, in breach of business appointment guidelines.
Despite these allegations, a delayed internal MoD investigation found no commercial advantage had been gained and allowed Elbit to proceed in the competition.
This raises questions about the integrity of the procurement process and whether proper safeguards are in place to prevent undue influence.
Labour’s hypocrisy: from critic to collaborator
Labour’s stance on this issue is particularly hypocritical.
Just last year, Labour officials explored re-imposing Bain’s UK ban.
Now, without so much as a credible public explanation, they seem ready to reward it with a contract at the very heart of national defence.
This about-face is deeply troubling. It is not the change that voters were promised.
A moral and strategic quagmire
The UK military is about to be trained by a consortium that has profited from wars abroad and undermined democracy elsewhere.
Is this a strategic decision, or just political obliviousness?
Labour promised change.
Accountability.
Ethics.
Yet here it is, on the verge of institutionalising companies whose records are the very opposite.
What the blazes is going on?
If the government proceeds, it won’t just be a PR disaster — it will be a glaring moral and strategic failure.
Vox Political‘s verdict
Labour’s potential decision to award a £2.5 billion military training contract to a consortium involving Elbit Systems and Bain & Company is deeply concerning.
The ethical implications are profound, and the potential damage to the UK’s international reputation is significant.
Labour’s leaders need to reconsider this approach and ensure that any contracts awarded are to companies with a proven track record of ethical conduct and respect for human rights.
The UK deserves better than to be complicit in the actions of companies with such troubling histories – and, indeed, current behaviour.
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