7:58 am, October 26, 2026
A motor trade executive turned MP has been suspended by the Labour Party amid questions over a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan he took during Covid.
Perran Moon is facing an internal party investigation after being accused of trying to wind up his training company – Autoswot – without paying off the loan given to support the business during the pandemic.
The MP for Camborne and Redruth has denied any wrongdoing, saying the loan application was made in good faith and within the scheme’s rules.
He said the money was used to pay for staffing and other essential business costs, with partial repayments made until Autoswot ceased trading in late 2022.
Moon has voluntarily referred himself to the Labour Party’s investigations process and said he would cooperate fully.
Autoswot was established in June 2019, before the Bounce Back Loan scheme was introduced in May 2020. The business had forecast revenues of more than £200,000 at the time.
Moon put the company’s collapse down to ‘unforeseen external market pressures’, despite the best efforts of its staff.
In a statement, he said: ‘In order for these matters to be looked into, I have voluntarily referred myself to the Labour Party’s investigations process and will cooperate fully with this process.
‘The loan application was made in good faith, and the information provided, including the company’s turnover forecast, was accurate and properly based.
‘I will continue to work hard every day representing my constituents while this party process is ongoing.’
Moon built his career in the automotive industry before entering Parliament in 2024.
He worked in communications for Nissan and Renault before becoming marketing director at Manheim UK in 2004 and later taking a senior marketing role at Autotrader.
Prior to his election, he was also chief marketing officer and interim chief executive of electric vehicle charging business Believ.
The Labour Party confirmed Moon had referred himself for investigation but refused to comment further while the process was ongoing.
A spokesman said: ‘The Labour Party expects the highest standards from our elected representatives and we have robust processes in place to ensure those high standards are upheld.
‘We cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing.’
The case follows the suspension of fellow Labour MP Bayo Alaba in August over questions about a Covid-era loan taken by his real estate company, Alaba Properties.
A third MP, James McMurdock, left Reform UK in 2025 after questions were raised about the eligibility of two fitness companies for Bounce Back Loans totalling £70,000. He now sits as an independent.