Green honour should be reviewed, says PM
Prime Minister says that ‘steps should be taken’ to reconsider an honour if it is brought into disrepute
The Prime Minister has indicated that “steps should be taken” to review Sir Philip Green’s knighthood in the wake of revelations about his use of NDAS. In her strongest comments on the scandal yet, Theresa May responded to a question about the billionaire by saying that if an honour recipient was bringing it into “disrepute”, then it should be reviewed. Mrs May’s intervention comes after the Topshop owner dropped an injunction against this newspaper.
THE Prime Minister has indicated that “steps should be taken” to review Sir Philip Green’s knighthood in the wake of revelations about his use of NDAS.
In her strongest comments on the scandal yet, Theresa May responded to a question about the billionaire by saying that if an honour recipient was bringing it into “disrepute”, it should be reviewed. The Forfeiture Committee can strip an individual of an honour. Mrs May’s intervention comes after the Topshop owner dropped an injunction that prevented this newspaper detailing how he had allegedly groped a female executive and slapped her on the bottom, held another in a headlock and told a black employee that he was “still throwing spears in the jungle”.
The employees later signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAS) and were paid huge sums to stay quiet.
It emerged yesterday that Sir Philip and Baroness Brady, who is chairman of his business empire, will be called before MPS to explain the company’s use of NDAS in sexual and racial discrimination cases.
Lady Brady, a self-appointed women’s champion who has been accused of hypocrisy for standing by Sir Philip, is likely to be questioned on what she knew about the agreements and the payouts in her role as chairman of Taveta Investments Ltd, the holding company for Sir Philip’s Arcadia.
Maria Miller, the Conservative MP and chairman of the women and equalities committee, said that the allegations, if proven, could amount to criminal acts.
The committee will request that Sir Philip and Lady Brady attend. If they refuse, committees have powers to compel them to give evidence.
Sir Philip last gave evidence to Parliament in the wake of the collapse of BHS in 2016, and during tense exchanges he told an MP to “stop staring”.
There has been growing calls for him to be stripped of his knighthood and yesterday during Prime Minister’s Questions, George Freeman, MP for Mid-norfolk, said: “The honours system is designed to acknowledge and celebrate great public service. Does my right honourable friend agree that when a small minority of recipients, like Philip Green, bring the system into disrepute then it’s right that this party and this Government should be the first to stand up and look at whether people who behave in that way should be stripped of their honour?”
Mrs May agreed that the honours system was there to “recognise exceptional service and achievement”, adding: “If that recipient of an honour brings it into disrepute, steps should be taken to review that honour. There is a forfeiture process for that purpose, that does include an independent committee, which gives recommendations to me for Her Majesty’s approval.”
Following the exchange, Mr Freeman announced that he would be formally requesting that the committee review the case.
The women and equalities committee also recommended a crackdown on NDAS following a previous inquiry into sexual harassment.
A second inquiry looking specifically at the use of NDAS in discrimination cases was launched in the wake of The Daily Telegraph investigation amid fears that the Government is not acting quickly enough. Sources said that Mrs May is frustrated with slow progress on the issue, with a promised consultation yet to begin.