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The husband of Conservative peer Michelle Mone says the couple has been “hung out to dry” to distract from government incompetence, as the scandal across the provision of PPE throughout Covid-19 continues.
In a two-page statement on social media, businessman Doug Barrowman claimed they had been being “treated as a punchbag” and maintained that his firm Medpro had adopted a clear course of in being awarded £200 million in Covid-era contracts.
The two-page statement was shared on social media
(PA)
The agency has fallen below scrutiny after making an estimated £65m in revenue from offers to offer the federal government with private protecting gear such as masks and robes.
The National Crime Agency are analyzing a £3m cost made to Baroness Mone’s Coutts checking account, which was transferred after £65m in PPE income was handed to accounts linked to M Barrowman.
In a scathing on-line assault on officers, Mr Barrowman claimed that his firm had acted no in another way to any of the 51 suppliers fast-tracked by way of the excessive precedence lane and that it was curious that solely their contract was going through litigation.
A Freedom of Information request in 2021 revealed that his spouse had personally lobbied cupboard minister Michael Gove and had advisable Medpro for the PPE contract.
Addressing this, he mentioned: “Yes, Michelle was involved in introducing Medpro to the Cabinet Office. After all, Michelle had 25 years’ experience in sourcing and manufacturing of mass-produced goods and knew first-hand the logistical challenges of sourcing, supplying and delivering large amounts of product at short notice”.
Baroness Mone had personally advisable her husband’s agency for a Covid-era contract (NEO-SPACE/PA)
(PA Media)
However, former Tory well being minister Lord Bethell mentioned Baroness Mone “wasn’t honest about her financial interest to me”, whereas Mr Gove has mentioned he has been cooperating with the NCA investigation.
Mr Barrowman mentioned there had been “thousands” of emails and claimed the federal government officers had been conscious of his spouse’s involvement with the enterprise and that they had been a married couple.
During a current BBC interview with Laura Keunssberg, Baroness Mone admitted mendacity to journalists about her involvement in the corporate however mentioned she was an “indirect beneficiary”.
She advised the host: “It’s my husband’s money. It’s his money. It’s not my money and it’s not my children’s.” She added: “I’m saying to you that I didn’t receive that cash. That cash is not my cash, that cash is my husband’s cash, we are married. If one day, God forbid, my husband passes away before me, then I am a beneficiary, as well as his children and my children.”
Aside from the NCA inquiry, the federal government issued breach of contract proceedings in opposition to PPE Medpro in December 2022 over the 2020 deal for sterile robes. The firm is defending the authorized motion.
She was made a life peer in 2015 and is going through calls to be barred from the House of Lords (PA)
(PA Archive)
Mr Barrowman additionally alleged that he had beforehand provided to settle the dispute, writing: “What makes this case considerably distinctive is the Government can be utilizing the arm of the NCA (National Crime Agency) to threaten prison proceedings except we settle.
“We have tried to settle on numerous occasions and have been told to increase the figure before they are prepared to (in their words) ‘call the dogs off’”.
Claiming that they were being blamed to distract attention from the government’s handling of PPE procurement, he added: “It suits the agenda of the government and their media spin doctors to scapegoat my wife and I for their own lamentable failures.”
Baroness Mone, a Scottish businesswoman who based the lingerie firm Ultimo, was made a Conservative peer below former prime minister David Cameron in 2015.
The Tory occasion has mentioned she is now not a member and doesn’t maintain the whip in the House of Lords. She is now going through calls to be barred from the Lords whereas Rishi Sunak has mentioned that the federal government is taking the case in opposition to PPE Medpro “incredibly seriously”.
The couple deny any wrongdoing.
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