Green losing his knighthood is real possibility, says minister

A GOVERNMENT minister today claimed Sir Philip Green is not “worthy” of his knighthood as pressure grows on him to be stripped of his honour.

Margot James, who spent two years as a business minister, said his alleged behaviour towards colleagues, combined with his handling of BHS’s pensions, meant him losing his knighthood was a “real possibility”.

Ms James, who is now a digital minister, said: “I feel he is not worthy of a knighthood. The way he’s tried to silence the Daily Telegraph and pay people off instead of being held to account sounds like a cover for gross misconduct. That, on top of the pensions debacle and sale of BHS, all adds up to a situation where I imagine the forfeiture of his knighthood must be a real possibility.”

Calls have been made to strip the Topshop boss of his knighthood after he allegedly subjected employees to racist, sexist and physical abuse.

He had previously used an injunction to stop the Telegraph from publishing the allegations six months ago.

But the paper continued fighting a legal battle, and on Friday the billionaire’s action against it was formally ended by a High Court judge. Sir Philip denies allegations he behaved wrongly. His lawyers said he was a “passionate businessman, who can at times be overexuberant and hot-headed” and that he could be “perceived at times as aggressive with senior and trusted staff”.