Baroness Mone accuses chancellor of 'inflammatory' language

Baroness Michelle Mone is facing backlash after a firm associated with her and her husband was ordered to pay £122m for breaching a Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) contract. Accusations of using “dangerous and inflammatory” language have been directed at the chancellor in connection to this incident. During a fringe event at Labour’s party conference, it was reported that Rachel Reeves made comments suggesting the government had a vendetta against Baroness Mone, leading to increased risks to her personal safety.

A recent ruling by a judge found that PPE Medpro’s gowns did not meet government standards. This firm, which was established by a consortium led by Baroness Mone’s husband, Doug Barrowman, had been awarded a PPE contract on her recommendation. The fallout from this court decision has led to calls from various political parties for Baroness Mone to lose her peerage. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has even publicly stated that she believes Baroness Mone should be stripped of her title, although the procedure can only be done through an act of Parliament.

In a letter to the prime minister, Baroness Mone demanded an independent investigation into potential influence on legal processes by government officials. She also urged the chancellor to retract her comments, citing concerns about her and her family’s safety following the fallout from Reeves’ remarks. The accusations made by Reeves were described by Baroness Mone as dangerous and reckless, and she drew attention to the tragic consequences of similar incidents involving other public figures like Jo Cox and Sir David Amess.

Despite the controversy surrounding this case, the Cabinet Office has not provided any comment. A Treasury source, however, mentioned that when both Labour and Conservative leaders are in agreement, it indicates a loss in argument. While Baroness Mone was initially appointed as a Tory peer by David Cameron in 2015, she lost her privileges in the wake of the PPE contract scandal. The High Court’s ruling highlighted the failure of Medpro to prove the sterilization process of its surgical gowns, ultimately resulting in the hefty £122m damages fee that must be paid by a specific deadline

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More