Sandwichgate: The chair of the Business Select Committee has written to Mike Ashley and he’s not happy
The chair of the Business Select Committee that paid Sports Direct a memorable visit earlier in the week, has written to Mike Ashley. And boy, he's not happy.
"For an organisation in the process of reviewing its corporate governance and working practices, it is difficult to understand how a representative of the company thought that such an action would assist Sports Direct and why this action was authorised," Iain Wright said.
On behalf of the Select Committee I am asking you for an explanation of how and why the camera came to be placed in the room, who authorised its placing and what steps you have taken as a result.
The covert recording and surveillance of a parliamentary committee without its knowledge or permission damages Sports Direct's reputation and it damages the ability of this committee to have faith or confidence in what we were told that day.
He added that it would now be reasonable for other parties "such as current and potential investors, audit teams and providers of finance to business" to question whether they have been recorded without their permission during visits to Shirebrook.
"It is staggering to think that nobody thought to think of the long-term damage such an act, amateurishly carried out, could inflict upon your company," Wright said.
Members of the Business Select Committee paid the controversial retailer's Shirebrook site a surprise visit on Monday, as part of a long-running investigation into conditions at the company.
Only, the cross-party group of politicians were surprised to discover a camera by a plate of sandwiches, apparently brought into a private meeting they were holding to discuss the findings of their unannounced three hour visit.
Here is another pic from a colleague. This is where it was hidden & where I found it before picking it up & placing on top as previous pic. pic.twitter.com/HPIoUJanQ4
— Anna Turley 🌹🐝💙🇺🇦 (@annaturley) November 7, 2016
Sports Direct said in a statement: "The Board would like to make it clear that it did not authorise or have any knowledge of the possible recording device."