Families affected by Covid-19 are calling for Michelle Mone to lose her OBE due to a company associated with her failing to repay millions for faulty PPE.
Representing 7,000 families, a group expressed outrage that the lingerie tycoon from Scotland still holds the honor despite the scandal. They wrote to the Honours Forfeiture Committee, highlighting that some of their loved ones perished due to inadequate PPE availability.
The group is urging for Baroness Mone’s OBE, granted in 2010 for contributions to the lingerie sector, to be revoked. A spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group stated, “Our relatives passed away without proper PPE access. It is unacceptable for someone linked to this issue to retain an OBE.”
They emphasized that the government should take action to remove the honor, as anything less would disrespect the deceased and their families. Additionally, a petition supported by over 280,000 individuals is urging for Baroness Mone’s expulsion from the House of Lords.
The controversy arises from PPE Medpro, a group led by Baroness Mone’s spouse Doug Barrowman, failing to meet a payment deadline of £122 million for breaching a Covid contract. This company supplied 25 million deficient gowns during the pandemic, leading to legal action by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to aggressively pursue PPE Medpro for not paying the court-ordered sum. Streeting condemned the company for providing substandard equipment and not reimbursing the public funds, with the outstanding amount now exceeding £145 million.
The consortium linked to PPE Medpro expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the government to settle the matter. However, they lamented the lack of response from the authorities despite their public offer to resolve the issue. Baroness Mone has not yet commented on the situation.
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