Business tycoon Sir Philip Green breaks silence to blame ‘harassment’ for delay on repaying £571million BHS pensions black hole
The shamed billionaire said everyone was out to get him
SHAMED billionaire Sir Philip Green has finally broken his silence over the £571 million BHS pension crisis - claiming everyone is out to get him.
The tycoon - branded Sir Shifty - blamed harassment for the mess and hit out at the media for the delay in repaying the cash.
Green has previously batted off claims he is trying to wriggle out of stumping up cash after BHS was left with a £571 million pension deficit when he sold the chain to Dominic Chappell for £1.
The controversial sale left 11,000 people out of a job after more than 100 shops were shut nationwide.
BHS pensioners have already lost up to 10 per cent of their cash just months after the chain collapsed.
Speaking to the , Green said if "he was left alone" he'd be more likely to sort out the scandal.
The 64-year-old explained: “If you guys left me alone, maybe I might feel differently about it as opposed to you harassing me all the time.”
When pressed over his claim the media were to blame, he added: "Think about it, if the roles were reversed... if somebody kept harassing you everyday... you wouldn’t be sending round a cheque would you?
“So you guys should have some brains and think let’s just leave this guy alone. OK.”
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According to reports, Green is still benefiting from BHS - taking more than £580 million in dividends, rent and loan interest.
Him and wife Lady Tina were reportedly worth £3.22 billion as the UK’s 29th wealthiest family in this year’s Sunday Times rich list.
It comes as it was revealed the businessman would face a £1 billion bill for the pension black hole under "nuclear" powers proposed by MPs.
A cross-party Commons committee said the Pensions Regulator should be given far more muscle when they chase tycoons for money when they go bust.
Under their plans, entrepreneurs should be threatened with a charge three times higher than the amount the regulator wants to plug the shortfall in a company pension scheme.
In the case of BHS, this would have left Green facing a £1 billion fine given the regulators demand for £350 million.
Labour’s Frank Field, the Work and Pensions Committee chair, said: “The measures we set out in this report are intended to reduce the chance of another scheme going down the BHS route.
“It is difficult to imagine the Pensions Regulator would still be having to negotiate with Sir Philip Green if he had been facing a bill of £1 billion – rather than £350 million.
“He would have sorted the pension scheme long ago.”
Green has courted controversy this year after enjoying a summer in the lap of luxury with holidays around the world, while sailing around on the super yacht.
Lionheart is the family’s third vessel and is the length of a football pitch with jacuzzis, a swimming pool and a helipad.
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