Peer Michelle Mone has accused the treasury head of employing “risky and provocative” language after a firm linked to her and her husband was ordered to pay £122m for breaching a Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) agreement.
During a side event at Labour’s conference this recently, the chancellor reportedly joked that the administration had a vendetta against the baroness.
In a letter to the prime minister, Lady Mone said her language were “inflammatory” and had “directly increased” the risks to her personal safety. She claimed she had received “threats and abuse” on online platforms since Reeves’ comments.
On Wednesday, a judge ruled that PPE Medpro’s gowns did not comply with government requirements.
Background of the Case
PPE Medpro was formed by a group led by Lady Mone’s spouse, Barrowman. It was awarded a government contract to supply protective equipment after being endorsed by Peer Michelle Mone.
Since the legal ruling, the baroness has encountered cross-party calls for her to be removed of her title. Nonetheless, peerages can only be revoked by an law of the legislature.
In the correspondence, Lady Michelle Mone demanded that Sir Keir Starmer order an “swift, impartial inquiry” into whether ministers or staff had interfered with the National Crime Agency, CPS, and legal proceedings.
She also insisted that the treasury chief withdraw her remarks.
Reaction and Security Issues
Lady Mone told Sir Keir: “I feel compelled to warn you to the risky and provocative comment made by your treasury head, Rachel Reeves.”
She said the word grudge referred to “retaliation and conflict” and that the chancellor’s comments had made Baroness Mone and her family feel in danger.
She also added her online accounts had “been flooded” with harassment, adding “we need only look at the deaths of MP Jo Cox and MP David Amess to understand the dangers of such careless language.”
- Jo Cox was the Labour Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen and was murdered in 2016.
- Sir David Amess was the Conservative Member of Parliament for his constituency when he was fatally stabbed in 2021.
Final Appeal
Concluding her message, Ms Mone said: “Prime Minister, I ask you directly: do you stand by your chancellor’s claim that the government has a grudge against me? Or will you act decisively to stop this targeting, safeguard my safety, and reestablish integrity to government?
“Failure to take immediate action will leave me with little option but to seek all available legal remedies, including libel, intimidation, and misfeasance cases, while also acting to guarantee my personal safety and that of my family.”
Official Responses
Conservative leader Badenoch told news outlets that what she had heard from the legal matter against PPE Medpro was “enough” for Lady Mone to be removed of her peerage.
The Cabinet Office refused to respond.
However, a finance source told the BBC: “When both the opposition treasury chief and Conservative leader agree with each other you’ve lost the debate.”
Mone was made a Conservative peer by former PM Cameron in 2015, but lost the party affiliation following the revelations about the agreement to provide medical gowns.
The High Court determined that Medpro did not succeed to demonstrate whether or not its medical garments, which were to be utilized by health staff, had undergone a validated sterilization procedure.
After the decision, the judge said the £122m compensation amount must be paid by 4 PM on October 15.
