Carol Vorderman deletes tweets claiming Tory MP handled £25m PPE deal

Carol Vorderman is forced into humiliating climbdown as she deletes tweets claiming Tory MP Greg Hands was involved in granting £25m PPE contract to lifestyle firm

• Carol Vorderman has climbed down on allegations about Tory MP Greg Hands

Carol Vorderman has today made a humiliating climbdown after she deleted a series of 22 tweets about the chairman of the Conservative Party – who accused her of being ‘defamatory’ and ‘damaging’.

The former Countdown presenter, 62, has been a vocal critic of the Tory government’s handling of contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) in 2020 during the pandemic, specifically the ‘VIP Lane’.

Among her targets was current Tory chairman Greg Hands, who she claimed was involved in the £25.8 million contract awarded to Luxe Lifestyles after an approach by a party activist. The company had no published accounts or history of supplying PPE.

A subsequent FOI showed nine million items provided by Luxe Lifestyles worth £20million were labelled ‘do not supply’, despite the company’s apparent belief that they were usable.

Responding to Ms Vorderman’s Twitter campaign, Mr Hands insisted his role was only to refer the company to officials on the Joint Action Coordination Team, commonly referred to as the VIP Lane – while she then deleted 22 tweets.

Carol Vorderman, 62, has been a vocal critic of the Tory government’s handling of contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) in 2020 during the pandemic, specifically the ‘VIP Lane’

Among her targets was current Tory chairman Greg Hands, who she claimed was involved in the £25.8 million contract awarded to Luxe Lifestyles after an approach by a party activist. The company had no published accounts or history of supplying PPE

Vorderman today wrote on X, formerly Twitter: ‘I’m happy to accept Mr Hands’ assurance that his role in the process was simply to refer the approach to the JACT, and that there was no impropriety on his part’

Mr Hands wrote: ‘After her six-month campaign against me, I welcome Carol Vorderman today deleting 22 tweets and setting the record straight that I had no involvement in the awarding of any PPE contracts’

READ MORE: CAROL VORDERMAN DOUBLES DOWN IN CATFIGHT WITH BARONESS MONE 

She posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘I’ve been contacted by Greg Hands MP in response to my tweets about his involvement in the granting of a COVID-19 healthcare contract to Luxe Lifestyle in 2020. 

‘While the awarding of this contract was unfortunate, and there remain serious questions about the VIP Lane, I’m happy to accept Mr Hands’ assurance that his role in the process was simply to refer the approach to the JACT, and that there was no impropriety on his part.’

However, the presenter stopped short of apologising. She instead posted a revised timeline of the events leading up to the Luxe Lifestyle contract. 

Mr Hands wrote: ‘After a six month campaign of defamation & vilification, Carol Vorderman has today finally withdrawn her allegations. She accused me of “illegal corruption”, phoning a friend to say “here’s a nice little £25.8m PPE contract for you mate” and having my “hands in the cookie jar”.

‘The truth does matter. After her six-month campaign against me, I welcome Carol Vorderman today deleting 22 tweets & setting the record straight that I had no involvement in the awarding of any PPE contracts.

‘These tweets were defamatory and damaging. An apology would help too.

‘Also, the JACT was not ‘a VIP Lane’ – it was the Government’s official collection point for such offers.’

It is the latest in a series of public spats between the veteran broadcaster and leading Conservative figures. 

In January, Ms Vorderman doubled down on allegations she made that Government Covid contracts funded the lifestyle of bra entrepreneur Michelle Mone’s husband – as the former friends’ extraordinary fallout turned bitter.

Carol Vorderman and Michelle Mone in London on September 15, 2010

Vorderman talked directly about the PPE scandal on ITV’s This Morning breakfast show, ending by turning to the camera and addressing the embattled lingerie tycoon by saying: ‘Sue me, Michelle.’

Baroness Mone remains under investigation by the National Crime Agency fraud experts and the House of Lords over claims she failed to declare an interest when lobbying for PPE Medpro to supply personal protection equipment to the Government and NHS for £203million during the Covid pandemic.

The peer, who denies claims she and her children pocketed £29million from the deals, has taken a leave of absence from the Lords to defend herself – while the Government sues PPE Medpro for supplying 25 million ‘unusable’ surgical gowns.

In a string of tweets, Ms Vorderman took further potshots at ‘baroness bra’, saying in one post: ‘For some reason or other I feel obliged to reshare this article… noting that after PPE firm linked to them received VIP lane contract MM/Husband/firm bought a jet & a boat & £3m in property for her children’.

In July, Vorderman fired off another salvo in her feud with Tory MP Johnny Mercer’s wife by accusing her of ‘harassment’. 

Ms Vorderman found herself at war with Felicity Cornelius-Mercer, 43, and the veterans’ minister, 41, since last week, and took things up a notch by sharing a reel showing a series of tweets she had sent her. 

She wrote: ‘I’ve been harassed by ⁦Johnny Mercer’s⁩ wife for months. This is from just one day in April + much more abuse elsewhere. I didn’t respond at all. Until he mocked military using foodbanks. She’s paid c£45k on MP expenses (+200% pay rise) to do this?’

Carol Vorderman accused Johnny Mercer’s wife of ‘harassing’ her on Twitter 

The former Countdown presenter found herself at war with Tory MP Johnny Mercer’s wife Felicity Cornelius-Mercer in July 

In response, Mrs Cornelius-Mercer said she had been tagging Ms Vorderman, 62, in abusive tweets sent to her husband to show how she had stirred up ‘awful traffic’ by ‘telling followers to target MPs’. 

She added: ‘Feel free to stop the reel and read them. These hateful comments are sent to us as a direct result of @carolvorders drivel. I’ve only ever reacted to her rubbish about hating all Tories, which has been going on long before I got involved.’

In February, a spokesperson for Luxe Lifestyle said: ‘Luxe Lifestyle’s contract to supply PPE was negotiated on an arm length basis through MoD procurement officers, seconded to the DHSC [Department of Health and Social Care]. 

‘The company was awarded a single contract for two out of six products offered via a competitive process based on price and availability.

‘No minister was ever directly contacted by the company and all products offered were uploaded on to the relevant DSHC PPE procurement website established by the government at the time of the pandemic for review and assessment alongside other PPE providers. 

‘No one at the company has ever contacted or spoken to Greg Hands.’

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