Michelle Mone’s rise and fall revealed, with her obsession for fame and fortune fueling high-profile celebrity feuds.
The reputation of Baroness Michelle Mone of Mayfair has imploded following a High Court ruling that ordered her husband’s firm, PPE Medpro, to repay £122 million to the government for supplying unusable COVID-19 gowns to the NHS.
The ruling, which branded the Tory peer a “big gun” who misled officials, has shone a spotlight on her decades-long history of exaggerations, feuds, and an apparent “win-at-all-costs” ambition.
While the public—including former friend Carol Vorderman—calls for justice and the return of wasted taxpayer money, experts fear the company’s recent move into administration could prevent the bulk of the £122 million from being recovered.
The £122 million contract was secured in May 2020 via the government’s “VIP lane” for companies supplying vital Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
PPE Medpro, set up just a month prior by Mone’s husband, billionaire Doug Barrowman, was awarded the lucrative deal after Baroness Mone lobbied the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
In her ruling, Mrs Justice Cockerill highlighted Mone’s manipulative role, stating that Medpro “trumpeted” Barrowman’s non-existent “years of experience” in the field.
Mone was also noted for pressuring the Cabinet Office and “threatening further escalation” to push the deal through, all while denying her financial link to the firm for three years.
When the gowns arrived from China, tests showed they were not sufficiently sterile, deeming them unfit for NHS frontline use—a “minor disaster” in the words of one observer.
A History of Exaggeration and Feuds
The High Court ruling supports a narrative that dates back to Mone’s rise from a Glasgow tenement to a peerage. Her questionable relationship with the truth and a relentless pursuit of celebrity status has long been documented:
- Lingerie Lies: Mone falsely claimed actress Julia Roberts wore her Ultimo bra in the film Erin Brockovich—a claim denied by the movie’s costume designer.
- Diet Pill Controversy: Her product, TrimSecrets, was branded “snake oil” by the British Dietetic Association in 2015.
- Celebrity Fallout: Mone’s relentless ambition has alienated former friends. Carol Vorderman celebrated the recent court ruling, having previously called Mone a “liar.” Rock star Rod Stewart once branded her a “manipulative cow” after she replaced his wife, Penny Lancaster, with his ex, Rachel Hunter, as an Ultimo model.
Despite the court ordering PPE Medpro to repay the £122 million by October 15, the firm’s recent move into administration means its assets stand at only around £660,000, leaving a massive financial shortfall.
- Frozen Assets and Trusts: £75 million of assets belonging to Mone and Barrowman have been frozen under a court order, and Mone has previously placed £30 million into a trust for her children.
- NCA Investigation: Separate from the civil ruling, the National Crime Agency (NCA) is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into “suspected criminal offences” related to the contract procurement.
Both Conservative and Labour parties have called for the Baroness to be removed from the House of Lords. Mone, however, maintains her innocence, writing a letter to Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer claiming she is the victim of a political “vendetta” to “cover up the Government’s disastrous £10bn PPE write-off.”
Experts like Sue Hawley from Spotlight on Corruption warn that the only way to recover the bulk of the public money is to explore “aggressive use of compensation orders” against the couple who, despite their firm’s bankruptcy, have enjoyed a lavish lifestyle including multiple homes, a £10 million yacht, and a private jet.