Michelle Mone ‘surprised’ she’s not been asked about ‘bras and knickers’ amid PPE scandal fallout
Michelle Mone has hit out at the “obsession” with her personal life – claiming she is surprised the Daily Mirror hasn’t asked about her “bras and knickers” following their latest report.
Baroness Mone, who had been a Tory before she had the whip removed, admitted she lied when she denied links to firm PPE Medpro – a group led by her husband Doug Barrowman – which won contracts worth more than £200m to supply gowns and face masks during the pandemic.
She also conceded in an interview last month that she and her family stand to benefit from the £60m in profits made by the company, placed into a trust by her husband.
After the Daily Mirror reported on Wednesday Baroness Mone and her billionaire husband are having an £80m sale of their superyacht, luxury houses and private jet, she complained about the “desperate” media.
“The media’s ridiculous obsession with every tiny detail of my personal life continues to reach desperate and absurd levels,” she wrote on X.
“At this rate, I’m surprised the Daily Mirror hasn’t sent an email asking to know how many bras and knickers I own!”
The government launched civil legal proceedings against PPE Medpro in December 2022 over the deal, saying they failed to meet the standard required during the pandemic – and the firm is defending itself.
It is also facing a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation into suspected criminal offences in the contracts for PPE procurement.
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Michelle Mone hits back at PM
Mr Barrowman accused ministers of “using the arm of the NCA to threaten criminal proceedings unless we settle” the civil case.
“This is yet again another futile attempt to distract from my husband’s robust fightback against the PPE allegations on 1 January,” Baroness Mone added.
Read more:
Michelle Mone hits back at ministers – and political damage could be shared
Who is Michelle Mone and what is the PPE controversy?
In addition to the yacht – named Lady M – the Mirror reports the price for Mr Barrowman’s villa in the Caribbean island of St Barts has been cut from £63m to £41m.
“Sorry to disappoint everyone, but that’s what happens in my husband’s world,” she wrote in a statement attached to her post on X.
“At any given time, assets are bought as well as sold. It’s unbelievable how these newspapers continue to lap up the leaks and lies from [government] spin doctors and the establishment in general.”
According to the Mirror, a spokesman for Mr Barrowman said: “They have both been very successful in business for decades, so if the Daily Mirror plans to write about every asset that they own, might be buying or could be selling, its journalists would writing for a very long time.”
The pair continually denied any involvement with the firm, but leaked documents showed she had recommended PPE MedPro to Cabinet Office ministers – including the now Housing Secretary Michael Gove.
This saw the company added to the so-called “VIP lane” and given two contracts totalling more than £200m.
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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
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