The opposition party demands the release of communications surrounding Covid PPE contracts linked to Michelle Mone, warning Tories of complicity in a potential cover-up.

Labour is set to table a motion in Parliament on Tuesday, aiming to force the government to release emails and texts relating to £200 million worth of Covid PPE contracts secured by PPE Medpro, a company associated with Conservative peer Michelle Mone.

Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of Labour, has stated that Tory MPs who oppose the motion would be “complicit in a cover-up” and continue to protect the secrecy surrounding the controversial contracts. The PPE Medpro contracts were awarded in 2020 without tender, providing £203 million for masks and gowns. However, the gowns were never used after failing NHS quality checks.

Michelle Mone has faced increased scrutiny after reports revealed that she is a beneficiary of an offshore trust that allegedly received £29 million from PPE Medpro’s profits. A House of Lords investigation into her failure to declare interests in the company has been paused as police conduct their own probe. Mone, who was appointed to the House of Lords by former Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015, has denied any financial gain and has insisted that she had no involvement with PPE Medpro.

In a bid for transparency, Labour plans to use a parliamentary procedure known as a “humble address” to compel the government to release all papers, advice, and correspondence related to the contracts, involving ministers and special advisers. The move follows former Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s claim that Mone aggressively lobbied him on behalf of another company in a separate contract dispute.

Rayner condemned the government’s handling of the situation, stating, “The British public is tired of being exploited by the Tories. We demand accountability and transparency for the £203 million of taxpayers’ money given to this shady company linked to a Tory peer.”

The motion also calls on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to support amendments to the Procurement Bill, aiming to prevent ministers from making purchase decisions without competitive bidding, in an effort to curb government cronyism and waste.

The Liberal Democrats have echoed Labour’s call for the publication of all relevant documents, urging the government to be transparent about the dealings with Mone and PPE Medpro. Party spokesperson Christine Jardine added, “It’s time for Conservative MPs to put an end to cronyism and back calls for transparency, rather than continuing the cover-up.”