House of Lords Member Admits to Lying About Connection to Company Awarded Lucrative Government Contracts

A member of Britain’s House of Lords has admitted to repeatedly lying about her connections to a company that was awarded lucrative government contracts to supply protective masks and gowns during the coronavirus pandemic. Michelle Mone, an underwear tycoon, acknowledged in a BBC interview that she had made an "error" in denying her links to the company PPE Medpro and expressed regret for threatening to sue journalists who alleged her involvement. It was also revealed that her husband, Doug Barrowman, led the consortium that owns PPE Medpro, which secured contracts worth more than 200 million pounds ($250 million) in 2020.

However, millions of surgical gowns supplied by the company were never used, leading to breach of contract proceedings by the government and an ongoing investigation by the National Crime Agency into allegations of fraud and bribery. Mone, who was appointed to the House of Lords in 2015, denied reports of using her political connections to recommend PPE Medpro to senior government officials. The case has come to symbolize the hundreds of millions of pounds wasted through hastily awarded contracts for protective equipment, prompting criticism of the U.K. government's handling of public contracts during the pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden defended the controversial "VIP lanes," insisting that there had been "no favors or special treatment for government cronies." He emphasized that any fraud-related issues would be thoroughly investigated and addressed by the government. The situation involving Mone and PPE Medpro underscores the challenges and scrutiny faced by the U.K. government in its pandemic response and procurement decisions, while also raising questions about the oversight and accountability of public contracts.