MP's reject offer to visit Sports Direct

London - Sports Direct's billionaire founder Mike Ashley has been ordered to appear before a Commons committee to provide evidence of working practises.

In response Ashley invited the MP's to visit the firm's headquarters in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, by helicopter to witness its operations in person.

The group rejected Ashely's offer and said it expected him to appear on 7 June. A spokesman for Sports Direct said the committee is being "unfair" and Mr Ashley will seek legal advice, noted the BBC.

Iain Wright MP, chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Committee said: "Business leaders regularly give evidence to select committees in Westminster without imposing conditions.

"This is part and parcel of living and operating a business in a parliamentary democracy. It is highly unusual for select committees to have to resort to issuing a summons."

The businessman has refused to attend the meetings in the past and at one stage said the MPs involved were "a joke". He had been warned he could be in contempt of Parliament if he continued to refuse to appear at Westminster.

MP's won't see company HQ with their own eyes

A spokesman for Sports Direct said: "We are disappointed that members of the committee have chosen not to visit Shirebrook in order to see working conditions with their own eyes, as we continue to believe that this is obviously the best way forward.

"The committee are well aware that Mike Ashley's proposal to attend Westminster on June 7 was made on the understanding that MPs would visit Shirebrook on any day in advance of June 6.

"The committee are clearly being unfair, Mike will therefore now seek legal advice with regard to his position in relation to June 7."

Image:Sports Direct