You are abusing parliamentary procedure to create a media circus in Westminster
Mike Ashley replies to MPs attempting to drag him before Parliament
Mike Ashley, the boss of Sports Direct and Newcastle United FC, has sent a defiant message to MPs who sought to question the pay and conditions of his employees.
Accusing the Commons Business, Innovation & Skills Select Committee of being “deliberately antagonistic” in demanding that he appear to give evidence in the House of Commons. MrAshleyis insisting that if he is to meet the MPs, it will be in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, where Sports Direct has its head office.
Writing to the Labour MP Iain Wright, who chairs the allparty committee, Mr Ashley said: “I was disgusted to learn that you have adopted a stance that is deliberately antagonistic. By refusing to visit Sports Direct to see things with your own eyes, you are missing out on a genuine opportunity to gain a detailed and balanced understanding of the matters you wish to discuss.
“I believe you are abusing Parliamentary procedure in an attempt to create a media circus in Westminster.”
The MPs wanted to question Mr Ashley about a BBC investigation, which alleged that workers at the Shirebook warehousewere too frightened of management to take time off for sickness, and which suggested that ambulances were called to the distribution centre 76 times in two years. It has also been alleged that some Sports Direct employees are paid less than the national minimum wage.
The company said it aimed “to provide working conditions in compliance with applicable employment and health and safety legislation and seeks to provide safe working conditions for all staff working in our warehouse.”
Last week, the committee wrote to the billionaire businessman pointing out he had been offered a choice of dates to appear to give evidence but had not accepted any. The letter, signed by Mr Wright, rejected an invitation to visit Shirebrook, and warned Mr Ashley that if he did not reply before 21 March, the committee might decide that he was in “contempt” of Parliament.
No witness has ever refused to appearbefore a hearing since the select committee system was set up early in the 1980s. Under Parliament’s rules, refusing to appear or answer questions without good reason constitutes ‘contempt’ – the legal term for obstructing the work of Parliament. Because there is no precedent, even Parliament’s legally trained clerks are not sure whether the Commons has the power to punish an offender from outside Parliament.
It is extremelyrare foran outsiderto be accused of contempt of Parliament. No one has been fined for the offence since February1666,when a man named ThomasWhite tried to prevent an MP from entering Parliamen.Acommittee spokesman said members would consider Mr Ashley’s letter when they meet on Tuesday.