More than 65,000 individuals have added their names to a petition demanding the removal of Michelle Mone’s peerage and expulsion from the House of Lords.
Representatives of bereaved families expressed outrage at Baroness Mone’s continued presence in the Lords, labeling it a disrespect to those who lost loved ones during the pandemic. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK criticized her involvement in Parliament, citing it as an insult to the memory of the deceased and highlighting the lack of accountability for actions that led to loss of lives.
The Scottish lingerie mogul faces mounting scrutiny regarding her connections to scandal-ridden PPE Medpro, which has been instructed to repay over £122 million to the UK Government for supplying substandard goods. A recent High Court ruling found the company in breach of its contract with the Department of Health and Social Care for delivering 25 million surgical gowns that did not meet sterility standards.
In response to criticisms, Baroness Mone declared her intention not to resume her role as a Conservative peer in the House of Lords in a strongly worded letter to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Previously appointed by David Cameron, she voluntarily took a leave of absence in 2022 and lost the Conservative whip.
Although the removal of her peerage would necessitate parliamentary action, Baroness Mone could opt to resign from her position in the Lords. She affirmed that she would not return as a Conservative member but did not rule out other possibilities.
Baroness Mone refuted allegations of wrongdoing in her involvement with PPE Medpro but later revelations indicated that she and her husband had profited substantially from the company. The couple had recommended PPE Medpro through the VIP lane to government officials in 2020 amid the urgent need for protective equipment during the pandemic.
In 2023, Baroness Mone and her husband admitted to misleading the press about their ties to PPE Medpro, a consortium led by Mr. Barrowman. Despite maintaining their innocence, they criticized the court ruling, describing it as a victory for the government.
Responding to the controversy, a Conservative spokesperson clarified that Baroness Mone had been stripped of the Conservative whip and was no longer a party member. The Tory party emphasized its commitment to upholding high standards among parliamentarians, indicating that Baroness Mone had fallen short of these expectations.
Baroness Mone also penned a letter to Keir Starmer, accusing the government of targeting her unfairly following calls from various politicians for her exclusion from the Lords. The saga involving Baroness Mone’s association with PPE Medpro was first exposed by the Mirror, shedding light on the lucrative contracts secured by the company during the pandemic.