Baroness Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman have accused the Covid inquiry of an “establishment cover-up” after their second attempt to be given an official role in the inquiry was rejected. The couple claimed they were the targets of a “politically motivated witch hunt” after the inquiry’s chairwoman, Baroness Hallett, refused their application to be made “core participants”. PPE Medpro, a firm led by Mr Barrowman, was awarded government contracts worth more than £200m after Baroness Mone recommended it to ministers. If approved, the official status would have allowed the couple to access inquiry documents, make statements, and apply to ask questions of witnesses.
Baroness Hallett first rejected their approach in February, saying it came 468 days after the deadline for applications, and she did not accept they had a large enough role “in the matters to be investigated by the inquiry”. She had previously said her main focus is on the approach of ministers and the government, rather than Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suppliers. The Covid inquiry is conducting four weeks of hearings looking at deals to buy £15bn of PPE during Covid. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has been investigating PPE Medpro since May 2021 over suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement process. To date, no charges have been brought and the Crown Prosecution Service has not been instructed in the case. Baroness Mone, 53, and Mr Barrowman, 59, have both denied wrongdoing. A special inquiry hearing about the company will take place behind closed doors next week after Baroness Hallett said she was satisfied there was a risk of prejudice to the ongoing NCA investigation if “sensitive evidence” was made public.
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