Michelle Mone Rejects Tory Comeback Amid Controversy Over NHS Contracts

In a bold statement, Baroness Michelle Mone has declared she has ”no wish to return” to the House of Lords as a Tory peer, following significant backlash surrounding her association with PPE Medpro, a firm ordered to repay £122 million for breaching a Covid contract. This comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch publicly stated that Mone should be stripped of her peerage due to the ongoing controversy. Mone, who was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015, has distanced herself from the party, suggesting that she might not even consider returning assuming the Conservative Party still exists before the next election.

In her correspondence with Badenoch, Mone accused the party of having ”amnesia” regarding her previous loss of the whip, implying it was a voluntary absence as she took a leave and is currently facing scrutiny over allegations tied to her peerage. She expressed a clear stance: ”once I do clear my name, I have no wish to return to the Lords as a Conservative peer.” This statement reflects a growing uncertainty around the future of the Tory party amidst these scandals.

Badenoch was adamant that integrity must be upheld within the Conservatives, emphasizing that Mone has ”fallen well short” of the standards expected from parliamentarians. The calls for Mone’s resignation have been echoed by other political figures, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Furthermore, there are discussions and potential actions led by the SNP demanding the UK government pursue an act of Parliament to remove her peerage officially.

Mone’s firm, awarded substantial contracts for supplying 25 million medical gowns to the NHS during the pandemic, has been embroiled in controversy since the gowns were found unsuitable and left in storage since 2020. She described the recent court ruling against her as an ”establishment win” for the government, with her husband’s representative labeling it as ”a travesty of justice.” This entire saga raises significant questions about accountability and integrity in UK politics, particularly for members of the House of Lords.