Families affected by Covid-related losses are calling for the removal of Michelle Mone’s OBE due to her association with a company that failed to repay millions for faulty PPE.
Representing 7,000 families, the group criticized the retention of the Scottish lingerie entrepreneur’s honor and urged authorities to take action. They claim that inadequate PPE contributed to the deaths of some of their loved ones.
The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group has petitioned for the reconsideration of Baroness Mone’s OBE, which she received in 2010 for her contributions to the lingerie industry. A spokesperson for the group emphasized the injustice of someone linked to the PPE scandal maintaining such an honor.
The group demanded that the government intervene to revoke the OBE, stating that anything less would disrespect the deceased and their families. Additionally, more than 280,000 individuals have supported a petition to expel Baroness Mone from the House of Lords, where she was appointed by David Cameron but is currently on leave.
The controversy stems from PPE Medpro, a company led by Baroness Mone’s spouse, failing to repay £122 million following a breach of a Covid-related contract. The Department of Health and Social Care sued the firm for supplying 25 million defective gowns during the pandemic.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged to pursue PPE Medpro vigorously after it missed payment deadlines for the court-ordered sum. Streeting condemned the company for providing substandard equipment during a critical period and vowed to recover the outstanding funds.
A consortium spokesperson expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the government to settle the matter, emphasizing the lack of response from officials despite public statements indicating readiness for dialogue. Queries for comments from Baroness Mone remain unanswered.
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