France’s leading medal-maker has been stripped of the chance to make British military awards days after being designated by the government as an official supplier.
The Times revealed yesterday that Arthus-Bertrand of Paris had been selected to make the medals of the Distinguished Service Order, Commander of the Order of the British Empire and the Order of the Bath.
Downing Street executed a rapid about-turn after David Cameron was questioned about the decision.
It is thought that officials will be able to wriggle out of the deal with the French company, which makes the Légion d’honneur, by arguing that they have the right to protect the Birmingham jewellery quarter, where many of the current manufacturers of medals and insignia are based.
A No 10 spokesman said that ministers had recently changed the rules on government contracts: “We are allowed to take account of local impact when we award contracts such as these. And that’s what we intend to do.”
Advertisement
British companies had blamed EU competition rules for opening the door to a foreign competitor.
Arthus-Bertrand won through a tendering process to become an official supplier of medals to the Crown Commercial Service, a branch of the Cabinet Office. The 200-year-old French concern was one of eight companies chosen and it signed documents last week as a recognised manufacturer of 20 medals. The other seven companies were British.
Jean Charles Rocher, sales director of Arthus-Bertrand, said that he was very disappointed at Downing Street’s reaction. “We competed fairly and we offered the very best quality at a very good price but just because we are not English now they want to fire us,” he said. Asked if his company might consider a legal challenge, he said: “Let’s wait and see.”
The original decision angered Conservative MPs, including Julian Lewis, chairman of the defence select committee, and Colonel Bob Stewart, who holds the DSO. Colonel Stewart said: “Thank God common sense has prevailed. We must give British people British medals.”
Ian Austin, the Labour MP for Dudley North, had told Mr Cameron in the Commons that the decision to give a contract to the French manufacturer was a scandal. “People in the Midlands are absolutely furious to learn that the government’s awarded a contract to make British medals to some French company,” he said.
Advertisement
Mr Cameron replied: “I’m always in favour where we can make something in Britain we should make something in Britain.”