P&O Ferries chose to sack 800 workers without consultation because ‘no union could accept our proposals’, the firm’s boss admitted to a Commons committee investigating the controversial decision.

I suppose if you're a billionaire, carrying a wad of fifty pound notes in your pockets, might seem like loose change. But when you're Sports Direct's Mike Ashley, visiting a warehouse where staff were paid less than the minimum wage, and you're asked to empty your pockets as part of a security check - well, you can imagine - it's rather embarrassing. It was not a good day for Mr Ashley overall - at a shareholder's meeting he was accused of 'Victorian' working conditions at the company. Peter Lane was there.

There was an awkward moment for Mike Ashley as he visited his company’s Shirebrook warehouse with journalists and members of the public. The SportsDirect.com boss pulled out a large wad of £50 notes as he was being searched before entering the warehouse in Derbyshire. The sportswear company has been accused of paying less than the minimum wage as a result of bottle-necks in staff search queues.

The Philip Green inquiry into the collapse of British Home Stores (BHS) in 2016 was a highly publicized investigation by the UK Parliament, scrutinizing the role of the retail tycoon in the demise of the company. After selling BHS for just £1 to Dominic Chappell, a businessman with no retail experience, the company went into administration, leaving a £571 million pension deficit and affecting thousands of employees. The inquiry, led by MPs, accused Green of neglecting his responsibilities and prioritizing personal gains over the welfare of BHS workers. As a result, he faced significant public and political pressure, ultimately agreeing to pay £363 million to help fill the pension deficit. The scandal damaged Green's reputation, raising broader concerns about corporate governance and the ethical responsibilities of business owners.