A company with direct links to Conservative peer Michelle Mone is facing a massive £39 million tax bill owed to HM Revenue and Customs, according to a Guardian investigation.
The substantial debt belongs to PPE Medpro, the controversial company that secured over £200 million in government contracts for personal protective equipment during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Growing Financial Pressure
Newly filed accounts reveal the company owes £38.9 million in corporation tax and other levies to HMRC. This comes at a time when PPE Medpro is already under intense scrutiny, facing a separate National Crime Agency investigation into its procurement of government contracts.
The tax debt represents a significant financial burden for the company, which reported assets of just £32.3 million in its latest accounts - falling short of the amount owed to the tax authority.
Controversial Contracts Under Microscope
PPE Medpro became a central figure in the personal protective equipment procurement scandal after being awarded two substantial contracts:
- A £80.85 million contract for face masks
- A £122 million contract for surgical gowns
The Department of Health and Social Care is currently pursuing the company through legal channels, alleging that millions of surgical gowns supplied by PPE Medpro failed to meet required standards.
Denials and Ongoing Investigations
While Baroness Mone has publicly denied any involvement with PPE Medpro, leaked documents suggest she and her husband had significant connections to the company. The Conservative peer repeatedly referred to the business as "my team" in private communications during the procurement process.
The unfolding situation continues to raise serious questions about the government's emergency procurement procedures during the pandemic, with millions of pounds of public money remaining under scrutiny through both civil and criminal investigations.
