By Adam Woodward
Copyright euroweeklynews
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called for Baroness Michelle Mone to be expelled from the House of Lords following a High Court ruling that PPE Medpro, a company linked to Mone’s husband, Doug Barrowman, must repay £122 million plus interest for breaching a contract to supply 25 million surgical gowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ruling, delivered by Mrs Justice Cockerill on Wednesday, October 1, found the gowns were not sterile, rendering them unusable in the NHS. The company has two weeks, until October 15, to repay the funds.
Mone, who gained fame as the founder of the Ultimo bra brand, is accused of improperly lobbying the government to secure the lucrative contract for PPE Medpro in 2020, without declaring her interest. The firm was fast-tracked through a controversial “VIP lane” after Mone recommended it to ministers, which raised concerns about conflicts of interest. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) sued PPE Medpro and alleged that the gowns failed to meet contractual standards. The company, now in administration, is also under investigation by the National Crime Agency, with a House of Lords inquiry ongoing.
Mone accused of “ripping off taxpayers” – forced to pay up £122 million
Reeves, speaking at a Labour Party conference fringe event, accused Mone of “ripping off taxpayers” and expressed hope that Mone, currently on a leave of absence from the Lords, would not return. “She clearly shouldn’t be making laws,” Reeves said, though she said that removing a peerage requires an act of Parliament. Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed her sentiments, vowing to pursue “every penny owed to our NHS” and condemning PPE Medpro for supplying substandard equipment during a national crisis.
Mone and Barrowman have denied any wrongdoing, with Mone calling the ruling an “establishment win” and Barrowman labelling it a “travesty of justice”. Mone previously admitted to acting as a “conduit” between PPE Medpro and ministers but claimed misleading the press about her involvement was “not a crime”. Leaked documents revealed Barrowman made £65 million from the deal, with £29 million placed in a trust benefiting Mone and her children.
Mone, once celebrated as a rags-to-riches entrepreneur, built her reputation through savvy self-promotion, rising from a Glasgow upbringing to a Conservative peerage in 2015. However, her business record, including employment tribunals and exaggerated claims about Ultimo’s success, has faced some intense scrutiny. The PPE scandal has tarnished her public image, with campaigners like Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK calling for her title to be stripped.
As the government seeks to recover pandemic-related losses, Mone’s future in the House of Lords remains highly uncertain, with her legacy overshadowed by allegations of profiteering and impropriety.
