Michelle Mone is facing calls to have her OBE revoked due to her association with a company that failed to repay millions related to faulty PPE, as demanded by families affected by Covid tragedies. The group, representing 7,000 families, finds it unacceptable that the Scottish lingerie entrepreneur still holds the honor and has urged the government to take action. They emphasize that some of their loved ones perished due to the lack of adequate PPE.
The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group has written to the Honours Forfeiture Committee, requesting the reconsideration of Baroness Mone’s OBE, which she received in 2010 for her contributions to the lingerie industry. They express outrage that someone tied to the PPE scandal retains such recognition. The group insists that the government must act promptly to rescind the honor, stating that anything less would disrespect the memory of the deceased and their grieving families.
In addition to the families’ plea, over 280,000 individuals have signed a petition spearheaded by the 38 Degrees campaign group, urging for Baroness Mone’s expulsion from the House of Lords. Baroness Mone, appointed as a Tory peer by David Cameron, has taken a leave of absence from the Lords in 2022, relinquishing her parliamentary privileges.
The controversy stems from PPE Medpro, a consortium led by Baroness Mone’s husband Doug Barrowman, failing to fulfill a £122 million payment following a breach of a Covid contract. This consortium was taken to court by the Department of Health and Social Care for delivering 25 million substandard gowns during the pandemic.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to vigorously pursue PPE Medpro to recover the outstanding funds owed to the government. He criticized the company for providing inadequate equipment during a national crisis and emphasized the urgency of reclaiming taxpayers’ money. The Health Secretary reiterated the government’s commitment to retrieving the owed funds, which are vital for the NHS.
A spokesperson for the consortium expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the government to reach a settlement but highlighted the lack of response from the authorities. Despite the public offer for dialogue, the government has not initiated any talks. Requests for comments from Baroness Mone regarding the situation remain unanswered.