This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/sep/07/sports-direct-annual-general-meeting-showdown-mike-ashley-business-live
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Sports Direct faces shareholder revolt as Mike Ashley hits out at unions - live | Sports Direct faces shareholder revolt as Mike Ashley hits out at unions - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.36pm BST | |
| 12:36 | |
| The AGM is now over. Perhaps Mike Ashley’s bad mood trumped his promise to say until midnight to answer questions. | |
| Investors are now voting on the various resolutions on whether to reappoint directors, and approve the pay report. | |
| Journalists are now heading out of the room, ready to experience the new Open Tour of Shirebrook. | |
| They’re being serenaded out to “Don’t Stop Believin”, by Journey: | |
| 12.33pm BST | |
| 12:33 | |
| Campaigners for fairer pay are already planning to return to Shirebook in 2017 to mark Ashley’s homework.... | |
| True leadership would be accreditation with @LivingWageUK. We'll be back next year to check progress... https://t.co/J9G3HHmG7H | |
| 12.29pm BST | |
| 12:29 | |
| I’m a little surprised that Mike Ashley lashed out at Unite, to be honest. | |
| Back in June, he was surprisingly open and engaging with MPs - a strategy that seemed to wrongfoot the BIS committee. That strategy might have worked well today too. | |
| My colleague Sarah Butler has a theory - that Ashley expected more praise, and less criticism, following the pledges made yesterday. | |
| Interesting pattern here: SD board not happy to listen to criticisms of work it's done. Think it was expecting a cheering match, not jeers | |
| Ashley's outburst at Unite shows how unused he is to being challenged and questioned despite Jenkins defence of SD's board | |
| 12.26pm BST | |
| 12:26 | |
| Back to Sports Direct’s pay policies....and Lisa Narthan of ShareAction UK asks if it might pay more than the minimum wage to staff. | |
| Hellawell replies that SPD wants to show leadership in this issue [having now resolved the issue, exposed by the Guardian, of paying less than the statutory minimum because of its security checks] | |
| .@lisarnathan asks if board will consider increase in rates above legal requirement. Chair says they want to be a leader. @ShareActionUK | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.27pm BST | |
| 12.22pm BST | 12.22pm BST |
| 12:22 | 12:22 |
| Non-executive director Claire Jenkins has jumped to Ashley’s defence, saying that Sports Direct has the “most open” board meetings of any company she’s worked at. | Non-executive director Claire Jenkins has jumped to Ashley’s defence, saying that Sports Direct has the “most open” board meetings of any company she’s worked at. |
| And she denies that yesterday’s report (written by Mike Ashley’s lawyers) wasn’t independent: | And she denies that yesterday’s report (written by Mike Ashley’s lawyers) wasn’t independent: |
| I take issue with them not being called independent. [The report] was very uncomfortable reading for all." Claire Jenkins, Sports Direct | I take issue with them not being called independent. [The report] was very uncomfortable reading for all." Claire Jenkins, Sports Direct |
| 12.19pm BST | 12.19pm BST |
| 12:19 | 12:19 |
| Aviva, a significant shareholder, asks if there’s any point discussing Keith Hellawell’s position - as the company declined his resignation last weekend. | Aviva, a significant shareholder, asks if there’s any point discussing Keith Hellawell’s position - as the company declined his resignation last weekend. |
| Hellawell says “yes” (reminder, he’s already promised to leave in 2017 if he loses a vote of confidence next year) | Hellawell says “yes” (reminder, he’s already promised to leave in 2017 if he loses a vote of confidence next year) |
| 12.16pm BST | 12.16pm BST |
| 12:16 | 12:16 |
| Mike Ashley doesn’t seem to be enjoying the AGM very much: | Mike Ashley doesn’t seem to be enjoying the AGM very much: |
| #sportsdirect Mike Ashley now sitting glumly, refusing to take questions | #sportsdirect Mike Ashley now sitting glumly, refusing to take questions |
| 12.13pm BST | 12.13pm BST |
| 12:13 | 12:13 |
| Although Mike Ashley has lost his grip on his (Sports Direct-branded?) rag, his chairman is calmer. | Although Mike Ashley has lost his grip on his (Sports Direct-branded?) rag, his chairman is calmer. |
| Keith Hellawell says the time for excuses is over, and that Sports Direct has reached a watershed moment. | Keith Hellawell says the time for excuses is over, and that Sports Direct has reached a watershed moment. |
| Grace Hetherington of ShareAction UK says it’s quite a contrast: | Grace Hetherington of ShareAction UK says it’s quite a contrast: |
| Hellawell managing to keep his cool, in stark contrast to Ashley. No wonder the company won't let him resign. #sportsdirectAGM | Hellawell managing to keep his cool, in stark contrast to Ashley. No wonder the company won't let him resign. #sportsdirectAGM |
| 12.11pm BST | 12.11pm BST |
| 12:11 | 12:11 |
| Here’s the key quote from Ashley’s outburst, after Unite questioned the value of his offer of permanent contracts to store staff: | Here’s the key quote from Ashley’s outburst, after Unite questioned the value of his offer of permanent contracts to store staff: |
| Ashley to Unite: don't do the whole show boating thing. It will make me turn away, the only people who suffer are people that work at SD | Ashley to Unite: don't do the whole show boating thing. It will make me turn away, the only people who suffer are people that work at SD |
| 12.09pm BST | 12.09pm BST |
| 12:09 | 12:09 |
| UNITElive at Sports Direct AGM:Ashley has stopped proceedings and is asking an independent shareholder if she is a member of Unite | UNITElive at Sports Direct AGM:Ashley has stopped proceedings and is asking an independent shareholder if she is a member of Unite |
| 12.04pm BST | 12.04pm BST |
| 12:04 | 12:04 |
| Ashley blamed unions for warehouse problems. | Ashley blamed unions for warehouse problems. |
| Oh dear. Mike Ashley’s cheery mood has vanished, as the criticism from Unite’s Steve Turner hits home. | Oh dear. Mike Ashley’s cheery mood has vanished, as the criticism from Unite’s Steve Turner hits home. |
| The Sports Direct founder (who still owns half the company!) has kicked off, saying the unions must take some blame for the abuses that were perpetrated at his warehouse. | The Sports Direct founder (who still owns half the company!) has kicked off, saying the unions must take some blame for the abuses that were perpetrated at his warehouse. |
| Ashley arguing that “it’s probably your fault that we’re in this mess”, claiming that he’s not been about to talk to the unions about conditions onsite. | Ashley arguing that “it’s probably your fault that we’re in this mess”, claiming that he’s not been about to talk to the unions about conditions onsite. |
| Angry outburst by Ashley who says: I've made commitment to make a difference I'm trying so don't pull me down. | Angry outburst by Ashley who says: I've made commitment to make a difference I'm trying so don't pull me down. |
| Mike Ashley gets shirty @unitetheunion "if you had been reasonable before... I'm trying, don't pull me down, it doesn't help...." | Mike Ashley gets shirty @unitetheunion "if you had been reasonable before... I'm trying, don't pull me down, it doesn't help...." |
| Ashley: "Let’s not have a punchup like in a silly cartoon." | Ashley: "Let’s not have a punchup like in a silly cartoon." |
| It’s caused quite a stir in the Auditorium.... | It’s caused quite a stir in the Auditorium.... |
| "You can see why there's a bullying culture" - shareholder in audience, under her breath, in response to Ashley's outburst. #SportsDirect | "You can see why there's a bullying culture" - shareholder in audience, under her breath, in response to Ashley's outburst. #SportsDirect |