London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 13, 2026

Questions raised over PPE contract linked to Tory peer Baroness Mone

Questions raised over PPE contract linked to Tory peer Baroness Mone

Jeremy Hunt said he regrets the turbulence of recent months but said he did not accept an analysis that Liz Truss's mini-budget inflicted £30bn worth of damage.
The government is under pressure to release records relating to a multi-million pound PPE contract linked to Tory peer Baroness Mone.

In the House of Commons, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner hit out at a "total failure of due diligence" as she asked about PPE Medpro winning a contract for personal protective equipment and "profits made possible through the company's personal connections to ministers".

"Last night, documents seen by The Guardian revealed that yet another case of taxpayers' money was wasted, a total failure of due diligence, and a conflict of interest at the heart of government procurement," she said.

"In May 2020 PPE Medpro was set up and given £203 million in government contracts after a referral from a Tory peer.

"It now appears that tens of millions of pounds of that money ended up in offshore accounts connected to the individuals involved, profits made possible through the company's personal connections to ministers and the Tories' VIP lane that was declared illegal by the High Court."

Ms Rayner said there "are rightly separate investigations into Baroness Mone's conduct, but the questions this case raises are far wider".

Michelle Mone, the Conservative peer who founded the lingerie brand Ultimo, is under investigation by the House of Lords Commissioner for standards.

Parliament's website says this is over "alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro leading to potential breaches…of the House of Lords code of conduct".

Ms Rayner said the government was refusing to publish correspondence relating to the award of the Medpro contract because they are still engaged in a mediation process.

In an urgent question to health minister Neil O'Brien she asked if that mediation process has reached any outcome "and what public funds have been recovered, if any?"

Mr O'Brien said it was "widely reported it had an underperforming contract" and laid out the process the government would pursue.

"The first step is to send a letter before action which outlines a claim for damages.

"And that's then followed by litigation in the event that a satisfactory agreement has not been reached.

"And to answer the right honourable lady's question directly, we haven't got to the point where a satisfactory agreement has been reached at this stage."

Downing Street would not be drawn on the allegations around Baroness Mone.

Ms Rayner said that while today's reports concern just one case "this government has written off £10 billion alone in PPE that was deemed unfit for use".

"Ministers appear to have learned no lessons and have no shame. As families struggle to make ends meet, taxpayers will spend £700,000 a day on the storage of inadequate PPE."

The government's use of high priority lanes to speed up the award process for PPE contracts during the pandemic have been branded "VIP Lanes" by critics, with Labour previously claiming there is a "cash for access" culture within the Tory party.

But being referred to the high-priority lane "was emphatically not a guarantee of a contract and indeed, nearly 90% of offers referred through the route were unsuccessful", the Downing Street spokesman said.

Baroness Mone has declined to comment on the latest allegations.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Barclays Moves to Acquire GoHenry in Bid to Expand Youth-Focused Fintech Services
UK Lupus Patients Show Remission in NHS Genetic Therapy Trial
London Clean Air Zones Linked to Fewer Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Illness
UK World Cup Scheduling Research Suggests Energy Bill Savings From Off-Peak Usage
UK Economic Anxiety Rises Among Young People Over Long-Term Job Prospects
NHS Expands Meningitis B Vaccination Programme for School Leavers and New Students
London Ultra-Low Emission Zone Linked to Drop in Emergency Respiratory Hospital Admissions
Derbyshire Police Officer Investigated Over Alleged Use of AI-Generated Evidence in Case Files
UK Parents Back Proposed Under-16 Social Media Ban as Online Safety Concerns Grow
Four Palestine Action Activists Jailed Over Sabotage Attack on Israeli-Linked Arms Facility
Barclays to Acquire GoHenry in Push to Expand Digital Banking for Children and Teenagers
UK Government Reaffirms Defence Spending Commitment Amid Cabinet Pressure and Political Disputes
Belfast Unrest Prompts Security Review as Paramilitary Activity Comes Under Renewed Scrutiny
SpaceX IPO Pushes Elon Musk to Become World’s First Trillionaire After Record Valuation Surge
United States and Iran Near Landmark Peace Framework as Negotiations Reach Final Stages
UK Competition Watchdog Investigates Ryanair Family Seating Charges
Imperial College Study Links London Emissions Charges to Lower Hospital Admissions
Scottish First Minister Launches US Trade Initiative Ahead of World Cup Match in Boston
Fifteen Million Workers Gain Expanded Sick Pay Rights Under UK Reforms
British Retail Investors Secure Record Participation in SpaceX Share Offering
Keir Starmer and Micheál Martin Coordinate Response to Northern Ireland Violence
NHS Prepares for Major Disruption as Resident Doctors Announce Four-Day Strike
Bank of England Expected to Hold Rates as Energy Costs Complicate Inflation Outlook
Britain Moves to Ban Under-16s From High-Risk Social Media Platforms and AI Chatbots
UK Economy Contracts as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Growth
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute With Treasury
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Leadership Crisis After Senior Cabinet Resignations
NHS Trust Secures Funding for AI Tool to Detect Heart Failure Earlier
Government Unveils £4.5 Billion Investment Plan for Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Nationwide Reports UK House Prices Falling as Borrowing Costs Remain Elevated
Centre for Social Justice Says Two Million Britons Are Using Illegal Loan Sharks
UK Carmakers Warn EU Local Content Rules Could Damage British Manufacturing
UK Government Imposes Emergency Ban on Seven Potent Synthetic Opioids
Royal Navy Completes Major North Atlantic Anti-Submarine Exercise Off Norway
NHS Figures Show Nearly 3,000 Patients a Day Receiving Care in Hospital Corridors
CBI Cuts UK Growth Forecast as Middle East Tensions Drive Inflation Risks Higher
Dan Jarvis Appointed UK Defence Secretary Following Major Government Reshuffle
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
Office for National Statistics Adopts Supermarket Checkout Data for Inflation Measurement
Applied Atomics Launches With $500 Million Space Infrastructure Order Book
BYD Plans Nationwide Rollout of Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network
UK House Prices Unexpectedly Fall in May
CBI Warns UK Growth Is Becoming Increasingly Dependent on Public Spending
Makerfield By-Election Fuels Speculation Over Labour’s Future Leadership
×