Summary
Overview
This episode provides a critical update on the Michelle Moan and PPE MedPro scandal, featuring investigative journalist David Conn who has been following the story from the beginning. Following the High Court's ruling that PPE MedPro breached its £122 million contract by providing defective PPE, the company declared insolvency just before the payment deadline. Conn discusses the systemic issues revealed by the VIP lane procurement process, the challenges of recovering public money, and the ongoing National Crime Agency investigation into potential criminal offenses including fraud and bribery.
The Court Ruling and Missing Money
The Department of Health won its case against PPE MedPro for supplying non-sterile medical gowns, with the company ordered to repay £122 million plus interest. However, PPE MedPro declared insolvency the day before judgment, leaving the company with no money to repay. The government now faces significant legal obstacles in recovering the funds, despite administrators expressing optimism about potential court action against unnamed third parties.
- The court ruled PPE MedPro provided gowns that weren't certified to be sterile, vital for preventing infections in operating theatres
- With interest, the amount owed has grown from £122 million to nearly £150 million
- PPE MedPro was put into administration the day before the judgment was made public
- The company structure's limited liability makes it difficult to hold individuals personally accountable
- Administrators face expensive and time-consuming legal obstacles to recover any money
" These gowns would be used in operating theatres to stop infections. And having researched it myself quite in depth and reported on it, and then followed the trial, read the documents, been to several days of it, I couldn't see the judge coming to any other decision, really. "
" There was no money, almost no money left in the company at all. And the day before the judgment was made public, the company was put into administration, which is a form of insolvency. But it owes the government £150 million, essentially public money. "
The Scapegoat Defense and Political Fallout
Moan claims she and Barrowman have been deliberately scapegoated to distract from government mismanagement of PPE procurement. However, the three-year legal battle involved equality of representation and a comprehensive 87-page judgment from a senior judge. The case only proceeded to court after significant political pressure from Labour opposition, raising questions about whether the lawsuit was politically motivated or driven by genuine accountability concerns.
- Moan publicly stated she and Doug have been scapegoated in an orchestrated campaign
- The court case lasted three years with 12 days in court and equal legal representation
- A senior judge produced an 87-page judgment ruling the gowns were not fit for purpose
- The government only sued after significant outcry in parliament from Labour opposition
- Moan has been on leave from the House of Lords since late 2022 and says she has no wish to return
" They've been saying this thing about being made scapegoats, but the way I respond to it is I kind of just report on what in front of us. PP MedPro was properly represented by a big legal team. There was complete equality of legal teams in that courtroom. "
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