Sports Direct's Ashley agrees to appear before MPs

6th Jun 2016 08:52

(ShareCast News) - The row between Mike Ashley and a parliamentary committee took a new twist when the Sports Direct boss performed a u-turn and decided to appear before MPs.While initially refusing to attend a meeting of the Business select committee, Ashley said he had changed his mind and would "defend the good name of Sports Direct and all the great people who work there".After weeks of wrangling Ashley will now be questioned over working practices at his warehouses after a Guardian newspaper investigation.The newspaper alleged Sports Direct workers were being paid hourly rates that were effectively below the minimum wage.Faced with the threat of contempt proceedings or sanctions, Ashley said in a letter to committee chairman Iain Wright that "a lengthy legal battle would be of no benefit to either of us".Ashley said he wanted to avoid a "media circus" and had asked the MPs to visit his Shirebrook warehouse to see working conditions for themselves. The committee has declined his invitation.Claims by Wright that Ashley was placing himself above democratic scrutiny were strongly denied by the businessman who said he had been "open and honest at every stage of this process".Examination of Sports Direct will include progress on the internal review instigated by Ashley late last year after the Guardian investigation which said workers at the warehouse in Derbyshire were subjected to searches and surveillance.