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Michelle Mone has responded to Rishi Sunak’s involvement in the PPE dispute, stating that government officials were aware of her role in the profitable contract from the start.
The Conservative member of the House of Lords is being urged to be expelled, as the prime minister emphasized today that 10 Downing Street is treating the situation with great concern.
But Baroness Mone fired off an angry message at Mr Sunak, writing on Twitter/X: “What is Mr Sunak talking about?
“I maintained transparency with the Cabinet Office, the government, and the NHS in all of my interactions with them. They were informed of my participation from the start.”
The Guardian reports that the House of Lords standards commissioner has received another complaint regarding Mone’s dishonesty with the media. The watchdog is currently conducting an investigation into the issue.
A dispute arose when Baroness Mone, who has consistently denied making a profit from the agreement, openly acknowledged that she could potentially earn £60m from a PPE deal made during the peak of the Covid pandemic.
The entrepreneur of Ultimo bras, who was elevated to the peerage by former Conservative Prime Minister Lord Cameron in 2015, expressed regret in a BBC interview on Sunday for previously denying her involvement with PPE Medpro. This consortium, led by her husband, was given government contracts worth over £200m to provide PPE after she suggested it to government officials.
Michelle Mone’s recent interview has sparked renewed controversy surrounding the procurement of personal protective equipment.
However, she also stated that she does not believe there is a valid reason to respond and cannot identify any wrongdoing on our part.
The interview with Laura Kuenssberg, the former BBC political editor, was part of a PR drive by Baroness Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman to fight claims of profiteering and what they claim are smears by the government.
When questioned about her acceptance on Monday, Mr. Sunak stated: “The government considers these matters with great importance, which is why we are taking legal action against the company involved in these issues.”
This is the level of importance that both I and the government place on this matter. However, it is currently under a criminal investigation, so there is not much more information I can provide.
Sir Keir Starmer has stated that Baroness Mone should be removed from the House of Lords and has urged the government to address the issue in the House of Commons.
The speaker expressed their opinion on the situation by stating, “I believe this is an appalling disgrace from start to finish. Furthermore, with each passing day, there are increasingly unanswered questions. The government must be transparent.”
The leader of the Labour party increased the pressure on government officials to address “serious inquiries” regarding their knowledge, including who initiated the discussions with Baroness Mone initially.
Lord Callanan, a Tory peer and minister for energy efficiency, recommended that Baroness Mone either step down from the House of Lords or be removed. He expressed his hope that she would not return.
She has taken a leave of absence from the Lords for more than a year as she bids to “clear her name” over the scandal and despite No 10 claiming she had lost the whip, she remains a Tory peer and is free to resume her membership of the Lords.
On Monday, it was revealed that she is no longer a member of the party.
There are calls for Michael Gove to address inquiries in the House of Commons regarding the controversy.
Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of Energy, stated on LBC Radio that the individual in question is currently on leave. In light of recent developments, she will likely take time to carefully consider her position.
To be expelled from the House of Lords, the behavior committee would need to suggest her removal before other members voted on the penalty. However, ousted members still retain their titles, so if she were to be expelled, she could still be referred to as Baroness Mone.
The peerage can only be revoked by an act of parliament, such as the Titles Deprivation Act 1917, which was employed to strip British peerages from individuals considered “enemies” of the UK during World War I.
Lord Bethell, a former health minister for the Tory party, rejected Baroness Mone’s comments and stated that she did not disclose her financial interest truthfully.
He continued, “She did not clarify her financial ‘involvement’ from the start.” He also mentioned that it was not listed in her register of financial interests as a member of the House of Lords.
During an interview on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Baroness Mone stated that her life has been “ruined” due to accusations surrounding their profits from PPE. She also admitted to lying to the press about their involvement in the matter.
She stated that Mr Gove, who was then chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, had given his approval for her involvement. She explained, “I simply offered our assistance and expressed our desire to help. His reaction was one of astonishment, saying, ‘This is incredible’.”
Reiterating her accusations, Baroness Mone stated on Monday that Mr Gove and Sir Chris Wormald from the Department of Health are responsible for squandering funds. She claimed that they authorized the procurement of PPE for a five-year period, despite being instructed to only secure five months’ worth. “They allowed significant wastage in PPE contracts and have evaded accountability for a considerable amount of time,” she further commented.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Cabinet Office minister, has urged Mr. Gove to respond to inquiries regarding her allegations.
On Sunday, Baroness Mone and her spouse, Doug Barrowman, acknowledged that they had earned a 30% profit on the agreement, equivalent to approximately £60 million.
Sunday’s episode of BBC’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg”
He wrote to Mr Gove, stating that the current situation has resulted in legal action and an investigation by the National Crime Agency. However, these ongoing issues should not prevent him from addressing inquiries about his own participation and the government’s role.
The current events reveal a disturbing carelessness from the Conservative government in handling public funds, and a disappointing display of incompetence regarding the “VIP Lane” for pandemic procurement.
Baroness Mone denied purchasing a yacht with the funds and maintained that they were her husband’s.
She clarified, “The yacht and the money are not mine. The money belongs to my husband, just like how my father would bring home his paycheck on Friday nights and give it to my mother. So she also benefits from it, but the money does not belong to me or my children. If, God forbid, my husband were to pass away before me, I would be a beneficiary along with his children and my own.”
Additionally, she emphasized that in the event of a divorce, she would not receive anything.
The surprising interview occurred shortly after Baroness Mone appeared emotional in a documentary about the situation, which was financed by the company involved in the controversy. Two prominent specialists who were featured in the documentary have since stated that they would not have participated if they had known the topic or who was providing the funding.
Since May 2021, PPE Medpro has been the subject of an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Search warrants were carried out at the homes of Baroness Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman in London and the Isle of Man, as well as at the offices of the firm.
The NCA is looking into potential criminal acts in the process of obtaining PPE contracts involving PPE Medpro. The government has also initiated legal action against PPE Medpro for allegedly providing gowns worth £122m that were deemed unsuitable for use by the Department for Health and Social Care.
Source: independent.co.uk
