SCOTTISH bra tycoon Michelle Mone is being investigated after referring a firm for a VIP Covid contract.
The Lords Standards Commissioner confirmed they are investigating Baroness Mone of Mayfair, over "Alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro leading to potential breaches" of the code of conduct for peers.
It came following a complaint by Labour peer George Foulkes over Ms Mone's alleged involvement with a company that she referred to the Government during the coronavirus pandemic.
PPE Medpro was awarded £203m in government Covid contracts under the VIP fastracked lane, which was ruled unlawful by the high court last week.
The investigation comes after the Guardian reported that leaked files appear to suggest Lady Mone and her husband, the Isle of Man-based financier Douglas Barrowman, were involved in PPE Medpro.
Ms Mone has denied any links with the firm and rubbished previous reporting on the issue.
The commissioner confirmed that the investigation would be for “alleged involvement in procuring contracts for PPE Medpro, leading to potential breaches” of three parts of the Lords code, which cover the requirement that peers publicly register “all relevant interests”, and prohibit them from lobbying for a company or a person in which a peer “has a financial interest”.
The commissioner also stated that Mone would be investigated under the more general provisions of the code’s paragraph 9, which includes that peers “should always act on their personal honour”; must never accept “any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence”; and “must not seek to profit from membership of the house by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services.”
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