# What, no Sir Philip Green thread? Alleged sexist and racist. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203 "2019-02-08T23:14:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/1 "2019-02-08T23:14:21Z")
The Telegraph had an injunction against it by Sir Philip Green, a mega-rich UK businessman. That injunction has now been lifted and we can read the accusations [here](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/08/sir-philip-green-claims-revealed/). The article may be paywalled where you are. > [@](#): > > Sir Philip Green is alleged to have groped a senior female executive and called her a “naughty girl” before paying her more than £1 million to stay silent about the incident. > [@](#): > > The senior female executive made serious allegations against him – including “inappropriate” touching of her body – to the human resources department in 2017 and an internal investigation was launched… > > At one point, the businessman is alleged to have kissed her face in front of other employees and grabbed her by the waist. > > … > > One source alleged that there had been an incident where Sir Philip walked behind her and “grabbed her bum” and the woman was “distressed”. > [@](#): > > Sir Philip Green told a black employee that his “problem” was that he was still “throwing spears in the jungle”, mocked his dreadlocks and accused him of smoking cannabis, it is alleged… > > In the three months since the legal action became public, other staff members – current and former – have come forward to raise concerns about the way the billionaire treated members of ethnic minorities. Some even claimed that there had been discussions on the need to be “careful about hiring” because Sir Philip felt there were “too many black people” in the organisation. > [@](#): > > When a Chinese businessman arrived at the company’s headquarters three years ago, one employee said Sir Philip looked at him and asked: “What do you think Mr Ching Chong Charlie?” There’s much more in the article, of course. And he apparently made the cardinal mistake of threatening the newspaper. It’s grim reading. In general the UK is over sexual harassment of women and racism but there are clearly holdouts. It’s just taking longer than we thought. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/2 "2019-02-09T00:21:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > In general the UK is over sexual harassment of women and racism but there are clearly holdouts. [Quite](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-politics/10767784/UN-Britains-sexism-more-pervasive-than-any-other-country.html) [a few](http://bbc.com/news/uk-47147568?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cmj34zmwx21t/racism&link_location=live-reporting-story) [of them](http://bbc.com/sport/football/47164234), it seems. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/3 "2019-02-09T00:39:41Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > In general the UK is over sexual harassment of women and racism but there are clearly holdouts. You sound like the clueless white Americans who proclaimed that racism ceased to be a significant thing in America in the 1970s. How on Earth do you feel comfortable making such a sweeping statement? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/4 "2019-02-09T01:48:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > You sound like the clueless white Americans who proclaimed that racism ceased to be a significant thing in America in the 1970s. How on Earth do you feel comfortable making such a sweeping statement? Male white privilege. Of course he will deny it, and even deny such a thing exists. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/5 "2019-02-09T03:12:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > In general the UK is over sexual harassment of women and racism but there are clearly holdouts. It’s just taking longer than we thought. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > You sound like the clueless white Americans who proclaimed that racism ceased to be a significant thing in America in the 1970s. How on Earth do you feel comfortable making such a sweeping statement? My understanding of Quartz’s statement was that the UK is ‘over’ sexual harassment and racism as in SICK TO FUCKING DEATH of sexual harassment and racism as in WANTING TO SEE AN END TO IT YESTERDAY. Not that the UK is a sexual harassment and racism free zone. I might be wrong though. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/6 "2019-02-09T09:59:14Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > My understanding of Quartz’s statement was that the UK is ‘over’ sexual harassment and racism as in SICK TO FUCKING DEATH of sexual harassment and racism as in WANTING TO SEE AN END TO IT YESTERDAY. Not that the UK is a sexual harassment and racism free zone. You are correct. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/7 "2019-02-09T10:50:08Z")
The fact that you called him Sir Phillip was kinda weird to me. I think I’d personally drop the honorific for someone like this. But then that led me to wondering: I can drop it, but can the Queen rescind it? And, if she can, is it something that is actually done? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/8 "2019-02-09T11:55:56Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The fact that you called him Sir Phillip was kinda weird to me. I think I’d personally drop the honorific for someone like this. You may recall that I have this thing about presumption of innocence. The Telegraph’s story has yet to be proven true. It’s almost certain, of course, but we’ll see. > [@](#): > > But then that led me to wondering: I can drop it, but can the Queen rescind it? And, if she can, is it something that is actually done? The first person who came to mind was [Fred Goodwin](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16821650) who was stripped of his knighthood for his role in the banking crisis. > [@](#): > > The Queen cancelled and annulled the title following Whitehall advice… > > The Queen has the sole authority to rescind a knighthood, after taking advice from the government. The BBC have [another article](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37714540) about people who have had their knighthoods taken away. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/9 "2019-02-09T12:12:46Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You are correct. Okay, apologies. Thanks for clarifying. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/10 "2019-02-09T13:49:41Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You may recall that I have this thing about presumption of innocence. The Telegraph’s story has yet to be proven true. It’s almost certain, of course, but we’ll see. It’s nearly a rule there, isn’t it? “Better that a hundred guilty blokes be called ‘sir’ than one innocent billionaire knighted chap be addressed by his ordinary commoner name,” or something to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/11 "2019-02-09T13:58:14Z")
Well, to be fair, **Quartz** is shortening the honorific as well. The full title is “Sir Philip Nigel Ross Green, Utter Cunt”. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/12 "2019-02-09T14:12:35Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Well, to be fair, **Quartz** is shortening the honorific as well. The full title is “Sir Philip Nigel Ross Green, Utter Cunt”. You might say that but I couldn’t possibly comment. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/13 "2019-02-10T16:41:56Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The fact that you called him Sir Phillip was kinda weird to me. I think I’d personally drop the honorific for someone like this. It loses something in text-only because when we say Sir for a slimy piece of shit like Green it is really pronounced _“Sir”_ and fairly drips with sarcastic contempt. It’s all in the delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/14 "2019-02-11T15:45:04Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The fact that you called him Sir Phillip was kinda weird to me. I think I’d personally drop the honorific for someone like this. Even the most ardent monarchists don’t really gives a fuck about honours. Some of them are awarded for worthy stuff like curing polio but mostly they’re meaningless platitudes (and sometimes they’re [straight-up rewards for political contributions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006-2007_Life_Peerages_scandal)). Nice to have, of course, but it’s like being named U.S. Ambassador to Tahiti; it doesn’t mean you’re an expert on Tahitian politics or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/15 "2019-02-11T17:17:46Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > It loses something in text-only because when we say Sir for a slimy piece of shit like Green it is really pronounced _“Sir”_ and fairly drips with sarcastic contempt. Again, you might say that and again, I couldn’t possibly comment. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/16 "2019-02-11T17:46:35Z")
I think there’s no doubt Jimmy Savile would have been stripped of his honours had his crimes been fully exposed while he was alive. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/17 "2019-02-11T20:40:17Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You may recall that I have this thing about presumption of innocence. The Telegraph’s story has yet to be proven true. So… why are you pitting an “innocent man?” Anyways, once you’ve had enough of him over in Britain, there’s several open positions in Trump’s candidate. He can fit right in. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-sir-philip-green-thread-alleged-sexist-and-racist/829203/18 "2019-02-11T23:03:38Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > So… why are you pitting an “innocent man?” I felt that the thread would be better in the Pit. If you think it’s better in IMHO feel free to report it for a move.