Lawyer who represented Michelle Mone says he’s sorry for claiming she was not linked to a PPE firm after she ‘misled him’
- Lawyer said he didn’t have ‘any reason’ to believe she ‘wasn’t telling me the truth’
A lawyer who represented Michelle Mone apologised last night for claiming she was not linked to PPE firm Medpro.
Jonathan Coad said he did not have ‘any reason’ to believe the former Tory peer was ‘not telling me the truth’.
Baroness Mone lobbied Michael Gove and Lord Agnew to secure lucrative business for PPE Medpro, a company her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman was involved in.
It was then awarded contracts to supply the NHS with medical protective equipment during the pandemic through the ‘VIP lane’ to fast-track preferred partners.
The deal yielded profits of about £60million, but PPE Medpro is being sued by the Government for £122million, plus costs for alleged ‘breach of contract and unjust enrichment’.
Baroness Mone (right) lobbied Michael Gove and Lord Agnew to secure lucrative business for PPE Medpro, a company her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman (left) was involved in
At the weekend, Lady Mone (pictured) admitted lying to the Press over her links to the firm – but insisted she could not ‘see what we have done wrong’
At the weekend, Lady Mone admitted lying to the Press over her links to the firm – but insisted she could not ‘see what we have done wrong’.
In 2020, the Guardian – which was looking into Lady Mone’s links to the firm – was told by media lawyer Mr Coad that his client ‘never had any role or function’ in the company.
But in response to Lady Mone’s ‘car crash’ interview at the weekend, the newspaper contacted Mr Coad for comment and he apologised for unwittingly misleading the media.
READ MORE: Baroness Michelle Mone admits she stands to make millions from a PPE deal with the government in ‘car crash’ interview
Mr Coad said: ‘I neither knew nor had any reason to believe that my client was not telling me the truth and wrote to your title in good faith…
‘My client was also a member of the House of Lords and had therefore been deemed trustworthy by the State. I was therefore entitled to start with the assumption that she would not mislead me.
‘To the extent that I unintentionally misled your colleagues and title, I offer my unqualified apology. I am a devout Christian, and hold to the values of truth and integrity as faithfully as I can.’
Mr Coad added that it was ‘beyond the forensic power of any solicitor’ to be ‘absolutely sure that all the information that a client gives them is true and accurate’.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Gove told the Commons he was happy to speak about his involvement with Baroness Mone after she claimed he had ‘questions to answer’.
He said he had co-operated with a National Crime Agency investigation into the procurement of PPE and hoped it ‘results in a case being brought’.
He added: ‘If there are further questions to ask about PPE procurement, and I believe the Government has a strong record, then I’m more than happy to do so with the Covid Inquiry.’
The NCA has interviewed Lady Mone and Mr Barrowman under caution over allegations of conspiracy to defraud, fraud by false representation and bribery. They deny wrongdoing.
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