ian1964 10,514 Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley has refused to face MPs in Parliament over staff working conditions despite a formal summons. The Commons Business, Innovation and Skills committee wants to quiz Mr Ashley over the treatment of workers at the sportswear giant and have said he could be in contempt of Parliament if he fails to attend. However, he has told Sky News he intends to challenge the formal order to appear before MPs which he slammed as an "abuse of the Parliamentary process". Mr Ashley, who also owns Newcastle United football club, was last week ordered to face the cross-party panel of MPs on 7 June and warned that if he does not he could face parliamentary censure. Committee chair Iain Wright turned down an offer for the MPs to meet Mr Ashley at the company's centre in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. Mr Ashley said on Monday that Sports Direct had "nothing to hide". He said: "I do not pretend to get everything right all of the time, but I am not willing to stand idle while this company is subjected to public vilification which is against the best interests of everybody who works at Sports Direct. "My current intention is that I will not attend Westminster on June 7th as I believe the proposal by Iain Wright MP (whom I have offered to meet in Shirebrook) is an abuse of the Parliamentary process. "I therefore intend to challenge the attendance order issued by the BIS Committee and I will be sending a formal reply to the committee in due course." It is thought no one has been charged with contempt of Parliament for more than 50 years. Sports Direct has been the subject of sustained criticism over the use of controversial "zero hours" contracts. Today the firm announced all staff and agency workers were being paid the national minimum wage "at a cost of around £10m", and that it would pay over 25s at least £7.40 an hour - the national living wage plus 20p - as pledged by Mr Ashley in December. It added there were currently no workers on "zero hours" contracts at its Derbyshire warehouse - but said such agreements were in place at its stores. Last December it defended the way it treats its workforce after a Guardian investigation into working conditions among its warehouse staff. More follows... http://news.sky.com/story/1663986/sports-direct-boss-snubs-call-to-face-mps 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,514 Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Mike Ashley could be forced to sell his Rangers shares if Newcastle are relegated to the Football League HE said yesterday he is “wedded” to the St James' Park side while Gers fans are calling for a quickie divorce if he falls foul of dual interest rules. MIKE ASHLEY could be forced to sell his shares in Rangers if Newcastle plunge out of the English Premier League. The controversial Sports Direct tycoon insists he will stand by the Magpies even if they are relegated for the second time in his nine-year stint at the helm of the club. Ashley said yesterday he is “wedded” to Newcastle while Rangers fans are calling for a quickie divorce if he falls foul of dual interest rules which are stricter in the English Football League than the Premier League. The Football League allows ownership of up to 10 per cent of other clubs, including those in Scotland, provided they are “held purely for investment purposes only”. However, Rangers are set to argue Ashley’s controversial commercial dealings with the club have been underpinned by his previous investment, including loans. And he is more than a casual shareholder at Ibrox where he holds 8.92 per cent of club stock. A spokesman for the Rangers Supporters Trust said: “Ashley says he is wedded to Newcastle. That’s great news – hopefully he will run off to a foreign location on a second honeymoon and keep away from us. “We believe he would have to seek approval from the Football League to have a shareholding in both clubs but we’ll only find out for sure if Newcastle are relegated. “If his commitment to United means he must give up his Rangers shareholding, it would be great news.” Ashley would need to seek permission from the Football League but would almost certainly argue he, as an individual, is different from his holding company MASH. Rangers and the SFA have declined to comment as Ashley insists he is staying loyal to Newcastle, who have just appointed Rafa Benitez as boss. Asked if he would stick with the club in the event of relegation, Ashley said: “Yes, I have got no choice. I’m wedded to Newcastle, like Sports Direct.” Newcastle find themselves in desperate trouble at the foot of the table despite Ashley following through on his promise to invest in the squad with a total spend of more than £82million during the last two transfer windows. They currently sit in 19th place, three points adrift of safety and their trip to fellow strugglers Norwich after the international break could go a long way towards deciding their fate. Ashley claimed he has “nil” effect on the running of the club and said: “Do I regret getting into football? Yes. “I have had tonnes of fun in it but I haven’t been able to make the difference I wanted to in football like I have at Sports Direct. “I wanted to help Newcastle. Let’s hope Rafa can do the business and keep us up there.” Benitez was drafted in with the club in an alarming tailspin under Steve McClaren and although there has been a slight improvement in his first two games at the helm, they have yielded just a single point. Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland at least ended Newcastle’s dismal six-game losing run against their neighbours, although it secured two points fewer than they needed in the circumstances. However, while Ashley was disappointed they had not won, he was not too downhearted. He said: “I wanted us to win the match so I’m a little disappointed. But it’s not a disaster.” Read more at http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mike-ashley-could-forced-sell-7604457#Y5qsIIloRZ41PX6j.99 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,363 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 If it is purely about the 10%, I doubt that we will have a chance to remove him as the article suggests. Whether or not someone at the English Football League will find him more deeply involved and agree to our point of view is anyone's guess. He sure had and has his legal experts at work when doing the deals with "us". It is probably more likely that all the law cases concerning the takeover may have a better result for us - when it comes to Ashley and his fingers in our affairs. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boabie 230 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I was watching the Dispatches tv programme last night, available online, which was about Cadbury. The companays CEO was summoned to appear before a parliamentary committee to answer questions about broken promises and job losses. So far she has refused - there didn't seem to be any demands to have her locked up in the Tower. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,395 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 The sovereignty of Parliament is fine. The tyranny of Parliament is not so good. Ashley makes a good point about "grandstanding". Watch one of the Committee hearings on the telly and you'll see what I mean. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boabie 230 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 The sovereignty of Parliament is fine. The tyranny of Parliament is not so good. Ashley makes a good point about "grandstanding". Watch one of the Committee hearings on the telly and you'll see what I mean. I actually like watching them Scott. I love how they cut people off and go straight to the point demanding factual answers. I only wish parliament was the same itself. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7 5,395 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Some of them are very good, miles better than performers in what Rab calls the Shortbread Senate. But there are a good few who play up for the telly. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
compo 6,327 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Its good to watch men at the top get a grilling in a parliament about their business methods 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boabie 230 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Its good to watch men at the top get a grilling in a parliament about their business methods I particularly enjoyed that ex-top cop who now works for Sports Direct receiving a kicking for waffling. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,514 Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 Sports Direct considering having a sale SPORTS Direct owner Mike Ashley has admitted that he may be forced to discount prices in his stores for the first time. The high-fashion retailer, where British Knights trainers sell to an exclusive clientele at around £1,200 a pair, has been forced to desperate measures by a slump in its share price. Mike Ashley said: “I never thought I’d say this, but Sports Direct is having a sale. “Yes, we run the risk of damaging our high-end brand, compared to Prada or Hermes, and losing our status as a destination retail experience, but we need cash. “I’m hoping the pre-opera crowd will find the yellow signs in our windows hilariously ironic, like an art installation, and not notice that Lonsdale hoodies are only £11.49.” Ashley has indicated that the sale will last for somewhere between six weeks and 12 years, with items reduced by a mere 95 to 98 percent. Wayne Hayes said: “Finally I might be able to buy from Sports Direct instead of just peering through the windows and dreaming. “Maybe one of their signature mugs, like Karl Lagerfeld drinks from. “Ah, who am I kidding. Their snooty, elitist staff will spot me the minute I’m through the door.” http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/sports-direct-considering-having-a-sale-20160323107409 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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