"my bulls*** detector was on you from day 1."
Conservative peer Michelle Mone has been embroiled in a race storm after she allegedly sent a racist message to a man of Indian heritage.
The 50-year-old founder of lingerie company Ultimo allegedly sent the message to a financial consultant in June 2019 after a fatal yacht crash.
The complainant also alleged that Lady Mone made derogatory remarks about the mental health of his partner.
The yacht crash happened in late May 2019.
Michelle Mone and her husband Douglas Barrowman had been on their yacht Minx socialising with friends.
The complainant says he and his partner were guests on another yacht, Vision.
It is believed that the skipper was “high on cannabis” and was showing off in front of guests when he lost control and crashed into Minx.
Crewman Jake Feldwhere was on the foredeck of Minx preparing to lift the anchor when he was struck and killed.
In the weeks following the collision, Lady Mone appeared to have become embroiled in a disagreement on WhatsApp with the complainant, who describes his appearance as brown-skinned.
On June 13, 2019, Lady Mone allegedly questioned whether the man’s partner was mentally affected by the crash, claiming that she had been partying “only a few days earlier”.
The man stated that his partner had been severely traumatised by the event, telling Lady Mone:
“I would prefer you back the f*** off.”
The Guardian reported that Lady Mone replied:
“OMG what a pile of crap!! You are talking to me, a smart, bright individual who doesn’t get taken in by your s***!
“In fact, my bulls*** detector was on you from day 1. You and your mental loony of a girlfriend have been parting [sic] like mad!
“You need to get a grip and have respect for a guy that was killed!!!
“Funny how your mad girlfriend has now deleted all the pictures, don’t worry I have screenshots of the dates and times. 48 hours after the guy was killed.
“You’re a low life, a waste of a man’s white skin so don’t give us your lies. You’re a total disgrace.”
She added: “Now you deal with the police enquiries including your nutcase bird.”
The man replied: “A waste of a white man’s skin? Did not know you were racist, Michelle.”
Lady Mone then said: “You’re blocked and take your mental case to the police station.”
In a statement, Michelle Mone’s lawyers said:
“She is not prepared to comment on the messages unless and until their authenticity has been confirmed but Baroness Mone, in any event, very strongly denies that she is a racist, a sexist or that she has a lack of respect for those persons genuinely suffering with mental health difficulties.”
They added that Lady Mone did not know the man was of Indian heritage because “his appearance is 100% white, with a cut-glass English accent”.
Her lawyers also cast doubt over the motives of the complainant, who once worked for Mr Barrowman.
Earlier in 2021, the man made an official complaint to the Lords Commissioner for Standards Martin Jelley.
However, he was told it would not be investigated because the exchange did not take place during the course of Michelle Mone’s parliamentary duties.
Referring to the man’s complaint, a House of Lords spokesperson said:
“Where a complaint does not relate to a member’s parliamentary duties, it is not covered by the code or the remit of the commissioner for standards.”
Loading ...