Michelle Mone responds to Rishi Sunak's criticism regarding the PPE scandal

Baroness Michelle Mone has responded to Rishi Sunak's comments regarding her involvement in personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts during the Covid pandemic, stating that she was honest with the government. Although she admitted to lying to the media about her connections to a company that supplied PPE to the government, she maintained that the government was aware of her involvement. Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his seriousness about the matter. Baroness Mone acknowledged that she stands to benefit financially from PPE Medpro, a company led by her husband. Rishi Sunak emphasized the government's pursuit of legal action against the company while the investigation is ongoing. In response, Baroness Mone questioned Sunak's comments, stating that she was truthful with the Cabinet Office, the government, and the NHS from the beginning. Lord Bethell contested her claims and supported Sunak's stance, mentioning that she did not disclose her financial interests. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticized Baroness Mone and called for answers from the government about their involvement in the matter. The Liberal Democrats also demanded an independent inquiry into the handling of these contracts. Baroness Mone disclosed that she had contacted Michael Gove at the start of the pandemic to offer assistance. She is currently on leave from Parliament and under investigation for not declaring her interest in PPE Medpro. The company is also being investigated by the National Crime Agency. Energy Efficiency Minister Lord Callanan stated that Baroness Mone should have declared her involvement and expressed hope that she would not return to the House of Lords. PPE Medpro had received government contracts worth over £200m through a special "VIP lane" introduced to aid in supplier selection. Baroness Mone was identified as the "source of referral" for PPE Medpro's inclusion in the VIP lane. While a significant number of gowns supplied were never utilized, the couple asserted that they complied with the contract terms. The UK government is currently suing PPE Medpro for breach of contract and unjust enrichment. Baroness Mone and her husband expressed regret for denying their part in the deal and admitted that they and their children would benefit from the financial trusts holding the money. Baroness Mone justified their lies to the media as a means of protecting their family from media intrusion. She also stated that Cabinet Office officials only required her to declare her interest to them, not to the House of Lords. The couple criticized the government's management of PPE contracts, claiming that they had been unfairly targeted due to their public prominence and success.