ian1964 10,597 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Mike Ashley is sent warning letter after failing to give evidence to MPs about treatment of workers. The Sports Direct founder, Mike Ashley, is being threatened with being found in contempt of parliament after failing to appear in front of MPs to give evidence about the retailer’s treatment of workers. The move follows a Guardian investigation in December that revealed thousands of temporary workers at Sports Direct warehouses were receiving hourly rates effectively below the minimum wage. In a strongly worded letter to the billionaire, Iain Wright, the chairman of the business, innovation and skills (BIS) committee, said: “A number of alternative dates have been offered to you by the committee clerk, but as yet you have not accepted any of them, nor agreed in principle to attend. As you will be aware, select committees do not normally need to have recourse to our formal powers to summon witnesses in order to secure attendance; refusal to attend without good reason may be considered a contempt of the house. The stories you need to read, in one handy email Read more “Should you fail in your reply to agree to attend on one of the dates offered to you, or a mutually convenient alternative before 1 June, the committee reserves the right to take the matter further, including seeking the support of the House of Commons in respect of any complaint of contempt.” The standoff represents the second time that Ashley has resisted attempts to make him face MPs, having declined an invitation to appear in front of the Scottish affairs select committee last year. Instead, the company sent its chairman, Keith Hellawell. Ashley also offered to meet the BIS committee privately at Sports Direct’s headquarters in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, but Wright has declined “in line with select committees’ commitment to transparency”. Last year, undercover reporters employed inside the retailer’s warehouse found that thousands of workers were subjected to an extraordinary regime of searches and surveillance, while local primary schoolteachers also told the Guardian that pupils could remain in school while ill – and return home to empty houses – as parents working at the depot were too frightened to take time off work. The reports added to the pressure on the firm, which had already been accused of operating “Dickensian practices” by the union Unite. Sports Direct had not responded to an email seeking comment at the time of publication. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/mar/09/sports-direct-mps-mike-ashley?CMP=share_btn_tw 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
26th of foot 5,955 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Am I right in saying that 'Contempt of Parliament' is akin to 'Raising fire in the Cinque Ports' ie a capital offence? Or, is that wishful thinking on my part? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,597 Posted March 9, 2016 Author Share Posted March 9, 2016 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeburner 0 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Basically telling the British govt to go F--k themselves. Yes ,we can work with this man-----I think not!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacK1950 2,278 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Just shows how big his ego is when he tries to run even that his own way by wanting meeting at his place what a nasty piece of work,hope he gets well and truly punished. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewarty 1,921 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 The noose is tightening. The sheer volume of enemies this guy has made is really quite something. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleg_Mcnoleg 50 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Am I right in saying that 'Contempt of Parliament' is akin to 'Raising fire in the Cinque Ports' ie a capital offence? Or, is that wishful thinking on my part? Wishful thinking, I fear. It would be contempt of the House, for which there are a range of theoretical penalties--fined, imprisoned in Victoria Tower, summoned to the the bar of the House of Lords to be reprimanded--none of which are practical or enforceable. The Maxwell brothers tried to refuse to come until their lawyer convinced them they ought to. However, they just refused to answer any questions. The main penalty is public discrediting. Fatso basically has to weigh up whether turning up and being hauled over the coals by the committee is worse than the public furore generated by his refusal to show up. The committee can write what they like about him without risk of libel so they'll rip into him regardless and he has to work out whether it's better to state his case. Ultimately they can't really do anything except humiliate him, sadly. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aweebluesoandso 290 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 That man has amassed a huge volume of contempt over the years, it's just coming back to bite his rather fat arse now. He deserves everything coming his way. I can't wait to see his massive posterior making buttons when a Parliamentary commission rips into him. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 I think he's one of those people who get so rich and powerful, and so many people kiss their arse that their ego inflates so much they get some kind of god complex, where they think they are totally a massive level above everyone else, and can do what they like with impunity. I'm hoping that one day soon, that is his undoing and it all comes crashing down around him, like seems to happen a lot in fiction. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,597 Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Rangers' shareholder Mike Ashley 'running modern-day sweatshop' at Sports Direct Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley is "running a modern-day sweatshop", Labour has claimed as a Cabinet minister insisted he should appear before MPs. Mr Ashley, who is a Rangers FC shareholder, is being threatened with being in contempt of Parliament after failing to appear in front of a committee of MPs to give evidence about the treatment of workers at the retail giant. Shadow Commons leader Chris Bryant (above) labelled Sports Direct a "truly hideous company" and insisted MPs will "get to the truth" by forcing Mr Ashley to attend. Commons Leader Chris Grayling added that select committees are free to bring any UK citizen before them, noting: "It should happen unequivocally." Labour's Ian Mearns also suggested Mr Ashley should be questioned about his "terrible running" of Newcastle United, who are in the Premier League's relegation zone. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Bryant told Mr Grayling: "The Business Select Committee has written to Mike Ashley, the chief executive and major shareholder of Sports Direct, demanding that he gives evidence to the committee on his company's decidedly shady practices - which he has refused to do. "This is a truly hideous company - 80% of staff in one warehouse are on zero-hours contracts. "Every member of staff is subjected to a 15-minute search at the end of the day, unpaid. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/14335290.Rangers__Mike_Ashley__running_modern_day_sweatshop__at_Sports_Direct/ 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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