• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Baroness Mone takes leave of absence from Lords as Labour steps up pressure over PPE

Lady Mone chose to take the leave of absence and Labour claimed Rishi Sunak had been “too weak” to act himself.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2022-12-06 12:54
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Tory peer Baroness Mone is taking a leave of absence from the House of Lords to “clear her name” over allegations about her links to a firm awarded contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus pandemic.

The news emerged as Labour prepared to force the Government to release records relating to the award of contracts to PPE Medpro.

Reports – denied by Lady Mone – have suggested the peer may have profited from PPE Medpro winning public contracts worth more than £200 million to supply equipment after she recommended it to ministers in the early days of the pandemic.

The peer, who founded lingerie firm Ultimo, claims the accusations have been “unjustly” levelled against her.

A statement released by her office 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.”

We’re forcing a vote in Parliament today to secure the release of the documents.

Tory MPs can either back our move to compel ministers to come clean – or choose to be complicit in a cover-up.#PPEscandal https://t.co/1HmndZtXXU

— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) December 6, 2022

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.

Labour will present a humble address motion later on Tuesday to force a binding Commons vote to secure the release of documents relating to the contracts.

Tory MPs are not expected to be ordered to oppose the motion, which will require the details of the contracts to be handed to the Commons Public Accounts Committee.

PPE Medpro

The Lords standards watchdog is investigating Baroness Mone over her alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, although this has been paused “while the matter is under investigation by the police or another agency as part of a criminal investigation”.

RelatedPosts

George Osborne tells Grant Shapps Brexit is the reason ‘Britain is stagnating’

‘Is it April already?’ Lee Anderson promotion sends social media into a spin

Brexit was a ‘colossal mistake’, former PM Sir John Major tells committee

Lee Anderson made deputy chair of the Conservative Party

The Guardian newspaper last week reported that the Tory peer and her children received £29 million originating from profits of the company.

Lady Mone 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”.

PA

The Government has also come under fire for the use of “VIP lanes”, whereby preferential treatment for public contracts can be given to organisations recommended by MPs and peers.

The motion tabled by Labour in the Commons would compel the release of “all papers, advice, and correspondence involving ministers and special advisers, including submissions and electronic communications” relating to the PPE Medpro contracts to the Public Accounts Committee.

Sunak “too weak” to act

Lady Mone chose to take the leave of absence and Labour claimed Rishi Sunak had been “too weak” to act himself.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “The Tories are all out of excuses. Ministers must now set out clear timelines on when, where, and how this information will be released.

“They can’t keep taking the public for fools by refusing to come clean on what they knew about this dodgy deal.

“Rishi Sunak was too weak to remove the whip and has left it to Baroness Mone to finally read the writing on the wall.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “This is more proof if any were needed that Sunak’s pledge of integrity has been reduced to dust.

“The public will be rightly appalled that we are still hearing allegations about how many of the Tories’ friends were able to cash in on human suffering.

“Sunak needs to suspend the whip for Mone and commit on public record that he will personally ensure that everyone in his party fully complies with any investigation.”

Related: Starmer claims rejoining single market would not boost economic growth

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Tags: headlinePPE

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Tory minister condemns “appalling abuse” after controversial race report

PMQs – Johnson fails to Excel due to ‘intergalactic incompetence’ as wind fan plan spreads sheet

Large crowds of vile yobs “coughed and spat” at front line emergency workers

Allardyce claims being a shit English manager prevented him from getting England role in the past

Donald Trump impeachment – what does it mean, and what happens next?

British land speed record project hoping to go over 1,000mph scrapped

How To Make: Mitch Tonks’ Roast Turbot with Hollandaise

Beer of the Week: Small Beer Brew Co. Session Pale

‘Playtime is over’: Nick Ferrari tears into government for shambolic response to Ukraine conflict

Britain’s most bizarre health and safety rulings revealed

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.