Over 65,000 individuals have signed a petition demanding the removal of Michelle Mone’s peerage and expulsion from the House of Lords. According to campaigners representing bereaved families, Baroness Mone’s presence in the Lords is deeply distressing to those who lost loved ones during the pandemic. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK expressed that her parliamentary position dishonors the memory of the deceased and highlights the lack of accountability for actions that led to loss of lives.
The Scottish lingerie entrepreneur is facing significant scrutiny due to her association with PPE Medpro, a company embroiled in a scandal for supplying defective goods. A recent High Court ruling found that PPE Medpro breached its contract with the Department of Health and Social Care by providing 25 million substandard surgical gowns.
In response to criticism from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Baroness Mone stated that she has no intention of resuming her role as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords. Despite being appointed by David Cameron, she voluntarily took a leave of absence in 2022 and lost the Conservative whip.
While it would necessitate parliamentary action to revoke her peerage, Baroness Mone could opt to resign from her position in the Lords. She emphasized that she does not plan to return as a Conservative member. In correspondence with Ms. Badenoch, she highlighted the circumstances leading to her departure from the party.
Baroness Mone refuted allegations of receiving any financial benefits from PPE Medpro, asserting that her involvement was similar to that of other Conservative MPs and peers assisting in the procurement of PPE. The Conservative Party confirmed that she would not regain the party whip if she were to rejoin the Lords.
Furthermore, Baroness Mone accused the government of targeting her unfairly and criticized politicians, including Rachel Reeves, for suggesting she should not return to the Lords. The Mirror initially disclosed the connections between Baroness Mone and PPE Medpro, a company that secured contracts for supplying protective equipment during the pandemic.
In a separate development, it was revealed that Baroness Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, profited from £65 million linked to the company. The couple admitted to misleading the press about their involvement with PPE Medpro, which was established by a group led by Mr. Barrowman. Despite denying any wrongdoing, they condemned the recent court ruling.
Baroness Mone condemned the judgment as biased, describing it as a victory for the government in a case deemed too significant to lose. Mr. Barrowman criticized the verdict, alleging that justice was not served and implying a predetermined outcome in favor of the Department of Health and Social Care and the government.