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Mone takes leave of absence from House of Lords to 'clear name' over PPE controversy

Michelle Mone vows to 'clear her name' as she takes leave of absence from Lords
Michelle Mone vows to 'clear her name' as she takes leave of absence from Lords

Under fire Tory peer Michelle Mone is to take a "leave of absence" from the House of Lords in order "to clear her name" over allegations she profited from a £200m government contract for personal protective equipment (PPE).

 

Her decision comes as Labour attempt to force the government into publishing all paperwork relating to PPE Medpro's contract.

The Lords standards watchdog is also currently investigating Baroness Mone over her alleged involvement in procuring contracts for the firm.

Last week, the Guardian reported that she and her children received £29m from the profits of the company.

She reportedly helped the company secure a place in the “VIP lane” used by the government during the pandemic.

The Glasgow peer has consistently denied any “role or function” in the company, and her lawyers have previously said she is “not connected to PPE Medpro in any capacity”.

The leave of absence means Lady Mone will not attend sittings of the House, vote on any proceedings and will not be able to claim any allowance.

 

While the Baroness has not spoken in the Lords since 2020, she has regularly voted with the government, last backing the government's Nationality and Borders Bill.

 

She was made a life peer by David Cameron in 2015 after selling an 80 per cent stake in her Ultimo lingerie company.

A spokesman for the Tory peer said: “With immediate effect, Baroness Mone will be taking a leave of absence from the House of Lords in order to clear her name of the allegations that have been unjustly levelled against her.”

Earlier, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner accused members of the Tory party of using the pandemic as an “opportunity” to “get rich."

She told the Today Programme that companies like PPE Medpro were recommended during the pandemic by Tory ministers, MPs and peers, and given “fast track” and “preferential treatment”.

She described the so-called VIP lane as “a scandal of epic proportions”.

She said that the company was awarded a £122 million contract for gowns that “could not be used” and that £700,000 of “taxpayers’ money” a day is now being wasted on storing the unusable PPE. The company has denied that the kit was faulty.

Ms Rayner added: “This looks very dodgy – people making huge sums of money on PPE that couldn’t be used. It needs to be exposed now. Those documents need to come out and it needs to be out in the open.”

Labour will present a humble address motion to force a binding Commons vote to secure the release of documents relating to the contracts to the Public Accounts Committee.

The government will not oppose the Labour motion.