Opposition parties are urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to withdraw the Conservative whip from Michelle Mone in the House of Lords after the Guardian reported she appeared to have gained millions from the profits of a PPE company. Labour and the Liberal Democrats criticised Sunak's refusal to act, calling his pledge of integrity an 'empty promise'.
A Conservative spokesperson confirmed that Mone would retain the whip while the National Crime Agency investigates PPE Medpro and a Lords standards committee holds an inquiry. Labour chair Anneliese Dodds described the situation as 'staggering', accusing Sunak of lacking backbone and failing to uphold integrity and accountability.
Liberal Democrat Lords health spokesperson Sal Brinton said it was an outrage that the whip had not been removed given Mone's financial benefit from the VIP lane during a national health crisis. Green MP Caroline Lucas called for a thorough investigation and immediate withdrawal of the whip.
Bank records indicate that a secret offshore trust benefiting Mone and her children received £29m from PPE Medpro profits. The firm secured government contracts after Mone helped it access a VIP lane for politically connected suppliers. The government spent over £13bn on PPE during the pandemic, with billions wasted in fraud and unused equipment.
Mone's lawyer previously stated she did not declare an interest in PPE Medpro as she did not benefit financially. However, leaked HSBC documents suggest her husband, Douglas Barrowman, received at least £65m in profits and transferred £28.8m to the trust. HSBC declined to comment, and Mone's lawyer cited reasons why she cannot comment on the issues.
