Newrow for Mone over size of business empire
MICHELLE Mone has been forced to clarify a boast about the size of her business empire after it failed to tally with her register of interests at the House of Lords.
Baroness Mone of Mayfair described herself on Tuesday as a “global entrepreneur with 9 biz interests” during a Twitter spat with Glasgow SNP MP Stewart McDonald.
However her parliamentary register mentions only five business interests.
Asked about the discrepancy, her press office admitted some of her projects “haven’t officially launched as yet”.
The Twitter row erupted after it emerged at the weekend that Lady Mone, 46, had spoken only twice in the Lords since being ennobled and made a Tory business czar in August 2015.
Mr McDonald, the MP for Glasgow South, mistakenly claimed she had voted – rather than spoken – two times, and teased her for promoting her jewellery brand on the QVC shopping channel while parliament was sitting.
The Glasgow-born Ultimo founder replied: “What are u talking about u SNP MORON! I have voted over 78 times, not twice!
“I’m a global entrepreneur with 9 biz interests not a full time MP like u! The difference is I’m a baroness for life, whereas u will be out of ur job in no time…”
But this does not match Lady Mone’s current register of interests at the Lords.
This says she owns 100 per cent of MGM Media, a private unlimited company managing her “brand, TV work, speaking engagements, book publication, endorsements, mentoring etc”.
MGM Media also handles her work with QVC jewellery.
In addition, Lady Mone declares a 49 per cent shareholding in and directorship of MMI Global Limited, a 20 per cent holding in Ultimo Brands International Limited, a five per cent stake in Weshop, and a non- executive directorship of tech firm VE Global UK Ltd.
She is also a trustee of the Bar- rowman Foundation, however this is a charity, not a “biz”.
According to Companies House, Lady Mone is also involved with one other business, but this does not appear on her House of Lords register.
A spokesperson for Lady Mone said: “Lady Mone hasn’t registered the other business interests as they haven’t officially launched as yet. There is a Global business launching next week.”