More than 65,000 individuals have signed a petition urging for the removal of Michelle Mone’s peerage and expulsion from the House of Lords. Advocates representing bereaved families expressed discontent over Baroness Mone’s continued presence in the Lords, considering it a disrespectful act towards those who lost their lives during the pandemic. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK emphasized that her parliamentary seat undermines the memory of the deceased and highlights the absence of accountability for the mismanagement that led to fatalities.
The Scottish lingerie entrepreneur faces mounting scrutiny due to her association with scandal-ridden PPE Medpro, which has been instructed to refund over £122 million to the UK Government for delivering substandard goods. A recent High Court ruling found the company in violation of its contract with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) by supplying 25 million defective surgical gowns that failed to meet sterility requirements.
In response to criticisms, Baroness Mone declared her disinterest in returning as a Conservative peer to the House of Lords in a strongly worded letter to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who accused her of bringing disgrace to the party and demanded severe consequences. Although appointed as a Tory peer by David Cameron, Baroness Mone took a hiatus from the Lords in 2022 and lost the Conservative party affiliation.
While revoking her peerage would necessitate an act of Parliament, Baroness Mone could opt to resign from her position in the Lords. She clarified that she has no intention of rejoining as a Conservative peer but hinted at uncertainties surrounding the future of the Conservative Party before the next general election.
Baroness Mone criticized the Tory leader for employing provocative language against her, emphasizing that her involvement in providing PPE was similar to other Conservative MPs and peers during the crisis. She defended herself by asserting that she never received any financial benefits from PPE Medpro and challenged the consistency in holding all individuals in the VIP lane accountable.
The Conservative Party affirmed that Baroness Mone would not be reinstated with the Conservative whip if she chose to return to the Lords. A party spokesperson underscored the party’s commitment to upholding high standards and reproached Baroness Mone for falling short of expectations.
In a separate correspondence, Baroness Mone accused the government of targeting her unfairly following calls from several politicians, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, to bar her from reentering the Lords. The Mirror initially exposed the ties between Baroness Mone and PPE Medpro, a company that secured lucrative contracts for supplying protective gear during the pandemic.
Baroness Mone denied any involvement with PPE Medpro to the Mirror but later revelations disclosed that she and her husband, Doug Barrowman, profited from £65 million in earnings from the company. She referred PPE Medpro to ministers through the VIP lane in 2020 to aid in the urgent procurement of protective equipment amidst the pandemic.
In a turn of events in 2023, the couple confessed to misleading the press about their association with PPE Medpro, which was established by a consortium led by Mr. Barrowman. Despite their denial of any misconduct, they criticized the recent ruling as biased and predetermined in favor of the DHSC and the government.
Mr. Barrowman condemned the judgment, labeling it a distortion of facts and questioning the fairness of the legal process, insinuating a predetermined outcome benefiting the DHSC and the government.