The case of Michelle Mone and House of Lords reform

A bit more on defending the indefensible?

A bit more has come to light on the saga relating to the peer who was formerly a Conservative

Questions linked to the video
1. Why did the government ask companies to bid for contracts to produce PPE?
2. Who led the Consortium that was paid over 200 million for PPE production?
3. What did Lady Mone admit to the BBC regarding her involvement with the company?
4. How does Lady Mone stand to benefit from the millions the company made from PPE?
5. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, why does he dismiss the couple's claims of being scapegoats?
6. What astonishing claim did Mr. Barrowman make in the documentary about a government official?
7. What criminal offenses are under investigation by the National Crime Agency?
8. Why is the Department of Health suing PPE medpro?
9. According to the spokesperson for the couple, how did the company's competitive prices benefit taxpayers?
10. What is the couple's intention regarding clearing their name?

Correct answers
1. The government asked companies to bid for contracts to produce PPE to meet the demand during the pandemic.
2. Mr. Barrowman led the Consortium that was paid over 200 million for PPE production.
3. Lady Mone admitted her involvement with the company to the BBC.
4. Lady Mone stands to benefit from the millions the company made from PPE as a beneficiary if her husband passes away.
5. The Deputy Prime Minister dismisses the couple's claims because he believes the facts do not support them.
6. Mr. Barrowman claimed that a government official asked him for money to drop the criminal investigation.
7. The criminal offenses under investigation by the National Crime Agency include fraud and bribery.
8. The Department of Health is suing PPE medpro for breach of contract.
9. According to the spokesperson for the couple, the company's competitive prices saved millions of pounds of taxpayers' money.
10. The couple intends to clear their name.

This links to arguments for and against reforming the House of Lords and follow this link for more on the arguments here.

And a link to a longer read by the Observer columnist Andrew Rawnsley here.

Exercise

Using the above and your own knowledge, discuss the view that House of Lords reform is long overdue