Sir Philip Green’s downfall is now all but complete; strip him of his knighthood says Matthew Steeples
He used to be known as ‘Sir Shifty’ but now that’s become a title too far. With revelations that ‘Phily G’ has been caught – and there’s the most tawdry video footage of it even – “pawing” an overweight wench, it truly is time that those with the power to strip someone of their honour acted.
Having seen his PR advisors quit and the ‘Hot Felon’ appearing to have ditched his “pig-like” daughter, Chloe, in favour of a life on the razzle-dazzle in LA, the ‘Modern Day Robert Maxwell’ seems to be finally reaching his nemesis. Aside from having been branded a “cross between Al Capone and Shylock” in this very publication by Steven Berkoff, Sir Philip must come to accept his final role: All that’s left for this grubby groper and wrecker of pensioners’ lives is a position as the pantomime villain.
Bully and braggart Sir Philip Green ditches his libel action against ‘The Telegraph’ and is deservedly met with a bill of £3 million in costs alone
Described as “Shylock meets Al Capone” in this publication by the actor Steven Berkoff, the now increasingly potless and rudderless Sir Philip Green has well and truly hit the buffers this morning.
Fat bruiser ‘Philly G’ tried to destroy The Telegraph in a bid to protect himself against their investigation into allegations of racial and sexual abuse against him. This brash, one-time “modern day monarch” – whose pig-like daughter has recently got herself pregnant by a violent felon – can now by heard in taped conversations with the paper’s Daniel Foggo. They reveal a foul-mouthed egoist with an incapability to respond rationally.
A businessman described once as “having the Midas touch,” Sir Philip – whose primary aim in all of this seems to be to protect his Lady Docker-like title obsessed wife, ‘Lady Tina’ – has finally met his match. We imagine he’ll today be wishing copies of The Telegraph be yesterday’s chip papers.
Some of the remarks made by Sir Philip Green in phone conversations with The Telegraph’s Daniel Foggo
“Let’s be intelligent.”
“If you damage the business, these people will need a new job… And your paper will end up bankrupt.”
“You’re not going [to publish] tomorrow… Do you want me to go and seek an injunction? I’ve got one against the government, I’ll get one against you.”
“Tell your editor to get smart… We’re not running away… So we don’t have to have a punch up… Get smart.”
Pictured above: Sir Philip Green looking disheveled and sweaty and with the then wife of his friend Richard Caring in better times. What a difference a few years make.
What first attracted ‘Hot Felon’ Jeremy Meeks to the daughter of the billionaire ‘Sir Shifty’ Philip Green?
One could argue the criminal Jeremy Meeks hit the jackpot when his mugshot went viral and a modeling career as the ‘Hot Felon’ ensued. Not only did he achieve such, but one could argue he had a double whammy next when he struck gold and acquired the daughter of the much loathed billionaire ‘Sir Shifty’ Philip Green as his ‘girlfriend.’
Meeks, however, if what he allegedly said to the Mail on Sunday’s Charlotte Griffiths is true, plainly thinks to the contrary given he supposedly commented:
“The third time we met, designer Philipp Plein threw a dinner for me and Chloe [Green] was there. I didn’t put her on the guest list and I still don’t know who invited her but I am happy she was there, and after that we fell in love.”
Accompanying the article on the Mail Online’s site yesterday was a video of Meeks arriving at an awards ceremony in Monaco with Miss Green and her mother, the pugnacious Lady ‘Don’t Call Me Tina’ Green. In it, whilst Meeks looks at ease in front of the cameras, both Greens career before the flashbulbs and seem nothing but sozzled and out of their depth.
Of this ‘arrangement,’ one can only echo the words of Mrs Merton and ask: “Jeremy, what first attracted you to the daughter of the billionaire Philip Green?”
Follow The Steeple Times on Twitter at @SteepleTimes.
‘Sir Shifty’ filmed in debauched incident in Mykonos; he would do better to sip rather than spray his beverages
Sir Philip Green will forever be remembered as a man whose former company, BHS, collapsed with the loss of 11,000 jobs. At that time, in The Steeple Times, the actor and producer Steven Berkoff compared him to both Shylock and Al Capone, but now ‘Badly Behaved Boozy Brit Abroad’ can add be added to this slug-like individual’s roster after he was spotted dousing fellow diners with champagne in Greece.
Filmed by someone named Sarah Nazari and shared on her Instagram page, the minute long clip shows Sir Philip at a beach bar-restaurant named Nammos Mykonos. Alongside other revelers, the business tycoon was pictured hosing other guests down with £109 ($141, €120 or درهم517) per bottle “spraying champagne.” He didn’t look like he had a care in the world and perhaps, just maybe, his daughter’s new jailbird boyfriend, Jeremy Meeks, had provided him with inspiration to behave like a reprobate.
Of antics more befitting of a 20-year old than a 65-year old, an unnamed source told The Times: “You couldn’t be in this club if you aren’t rich, so he wasn’t impressing anyone. He just looked like a sad old man trying to play with the pretty people.” Spot on: ‘Sir Shifty’, at his age, would do well to sip rather than spray.
A financier, a photographer and a doctor explain why they’ll respectively choose the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Labour today
Financier Zachary Latif on why he’ll vote for the Conservative Party
Brexit is the primary question
Firstly, this election was called on the issue of Brexit and when voters go to the polls, the primary question is whom do they want as their chief negotiator to deal with Europe: Will it be Theresa May or will it be Jeremy Corbyn? It is incontrovertible that Theresa May, a lady with a sensible and steady pair of hands, is the one to captain the ship. When I compare her approach to the untried and untested Jeremy Corbyn, I know without a shadow of doubt that I want Theresa May and her team to be leading Brexit.
Making Britain prosperous
The economy will go through a very shaky time over the next five years and we need a party that has the economic expertise that can guide us through these rocky waters. We all remember the last terrible time under Labour when the treasury was literally left with no money. Britain, now, under the Tories, has low unemployment, a balanced budget and ambitious plans for economic growth. If you want a prosperous Britain then it can only be for the blues.
Multiculturalism and being proud to be British
The cult of multiculturalism, as Angela Merkel touched on a few years ago, has failed. We need a Britain that revolves around the Union, a bicameral Parliament, the Crown and an understanding of the strong role that the Church (Anglicanism South of the Wall and Presbyterianism North of the Wall) plays. We need a government that is able to both manage the world outside but also be able to stand up for Britain and this precious Union of Nation, as Theresa May puts it. Jeremy Corbyn is a revolutionary but has no instinct for British patriotism – as his extensive links with the IRA testify. The Conservative Party is the only major party that makes one feel proud to be British and also able to retain a global outlook.
Cambridge based Zachary Latif is a founder of Raef LLC, a high yield investment firm. He has appeared as a guest host on CNBC several times and is also an actor and playwright.
Photographer James Smith on why he’ll vote for the Liberal Democrats
Corbyn is the tail shaking the Labour dog
I’m a centrist and believe government should work for all rather than guarding the wealth or indulging the politics of envy. By pulling his party to the hard left, Corbyn and his army in the wings have allowed May to become more right wing. How dare he and how dare she abandon the middle. Corbyn has alienated so many of his more reasonable party members that only the dregs will serve with him on the front benches. Corbyn may be a great campaigner but he’s been a lazy politician in opposition and seems bored when he’s not absorbing the energy of an adoring crowd. Remind you of anyone?
The Liberal Democrats punched above their weight in the coalition
I thought the coalition government was a grown-up union born of necessity. Neither party could fall back to their comfort zones, they had to work together to deal with a dire situation. For the most part, both sides did well but the Lib Dems suffered because of lazy accusations of betrayal by their core voters. To me they’ve proven they’re grown-ups. They’re honest that there’s no magic money tree and we’ll all need to pay for the NHS and social care through higher income tax. The idea of a Labour-SNP pact would be the worst of all worlds: Bye bye UK.
The Liberal Democrats could help facilitate a more sensible Brexit
While I won’t be celebrating a Labour or a Conservative victory, Jeremy Corbyn would be significantly worse for the health of the country. His ideological policies may ultimately harm the people he is trying to help. Emily Thornberry is my incumbent MP and she has been totally unaccountable to her staunchly Remain constituents. She refuses to campaign for a second ‘Are you sure?’ EU referendum, something the local Lib Dem candidate, Alain Desmier, has promised to do. If you must take the UK into radical territory, don’t do it when we’re uncoupling from our like minded neighbours and facing a less stable wider world. Lashing out with a vote for Corbyn is a bit like a hand break turn along a cliff edge.
James Smith is an Islington based photographer. He was educated at a public school and an arts institute.
Sally Jackson on why she’ll vote for the Labour Party
For the many, not the few
Labour has pledged to rebalance an economy that just works for the likes of billionaires like Sir Philip Green right now. We need a fairer tax system and the guarantee of no income tax rises for those earning below £80,000 a year is proof that Labour will not “tax the country until the pips squeak” – an accusation so commonly thrown by the right that Jeremy Corbyn has again and again disproven.
Doing right by the NHS
Jeremy Hunt is a symbol of the callous Tories and their assault on humanity. As a healthcare professional I want him and Theresa’s team gone and I believe only Labour will deliver a fairer deal for patients and healthcare workers. We’re under extreme threat right now and cuts to pharmacy funding are one of the worst false economies I’ve come across. As someone wrote on a wall recently: “I’m no gynaecologist but I know a Hunt when I see one”.
It’s not just about Brexit
I’ve heard enough about “Brexit means Brexit” but I’m glad Jeremy Corbyn voted for Article 50 and opposed a second referendum. The country has spoken and it’s time to get on with it. I supported leave myself and I did so because Europe wasn’t giving us a fair, inclusive society. I believe Labour will give us that and now the focus back on to what’s “Best for Britain” – a phrase that the remoaners Gina Miller and Sir Bob Geldoff should never have been allowed to hijack.
Sally Jackson works as a doctor in Manchester. She was born in Devon and is a graduate of Queen Mary, University of London.
In posing for pictures with ‘Sir Shifty’ Philip Green in Cannes, Sarah, Duchess of York showed herself to be nothing but shameless
Sarah, Duchess of York is one of those people who has no need for money given she’s always close to it. Yesterday, however, at the 70th Cannes Film Festival, this avaricious former royal took her love for wealth to a new level when she and her daughter, Princess Beatrice, posed for photos with the nauseatingly repugnant businessman Sir Philip Green (AKA ‘Sir Shifty’).
Famed for her lack of judgement and friendships with the likes of the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, yesterday ‘Simple Sarah’ showed herself for what she truly is: Embarrassed by nothing and shameless enough to stick two fingers up to ordinary folk.
Actor, producer and writer Steven Berkoff shares his views about Sir Philip Green
I recently watched a group of investigators sitting around a semi-circular table politely asking questions of Sir Philip Green. They elicited either vague responses, unsure responses, or contemptuous responses about him flogging BHS, a once venerable institution, to a somewhat dodgy character for a quid. If one of the pale faced interrogators even hinted that some of his business practises smelt a little like stinking fish or let’s say a little strange, Green’s surly reply was always: “That’s your opinion”.
What was most fascinating to me, watching him live on television, was his whole stance and body language: He sat, heavy arms spread akimbo like he was a wrestler between bouts and waiting for the next round. The obviously university educated interlocutors were mostly decent professional men who faced a person whose way of life could not be more different. ‘Sir Shifty’ (as the Daily Mail mockingly now refer to him) has, after all, fought his way up from market dealer to wealthy mogul and he’s eaten people like these all his life.
I even noticed one woman on the committee staring at Green from time to time and then turning away to whoever was asking him questions. She only dared to glimpse back at him for a few seconds. The feeling was that she was facing some kind of monster, a rabid devourer of nervous young English ladies. He then even rudely abused a member of the committee with sarcasm and a threating wit. It reminded me of the young toughs at the Lyceum Dance Hall in the fifties and their “Oo ya looking at!” jibes.
Green actually said something similar to this at one time and directed it to one of the members, reproaching him for staring. It is a bit difficult, if you are facing someone under investigation, not to stare, I would have thought but then this is the ‘Green look’. His stare is nothing less than demonic; his dark beady eyes less meant for merely looking than for ‘eye balling’ with a shadowy hint of violence beneath. He didn’t just respond, he responded with an expression that seemed to dare you to challenge him. His voice carried notes of warning in it and yet was not grating – even if the timbre reminded me of Petticoat Lane.
Steven Berkoff views Sir Philip Green to be anything but a pussy cat
Now, what made the whole exercise even more bizarrely fascinating was that he is a Jew. This might create a slightly awkward backstory since Jews were famously interrogated by the guardians of the church centuries past. A group of priests, many of them with a strong intellectual bent, frequently interrogated Rabbis on the meaning of their faith and hurled questions of religious complexity challenging them on all sorts of issues, the failure of which to answer satisfactorily could mean, a rather painful conclusion.
These sessions were held in public and their main purpose was to ridicule and humiliate. So, watching Green’s examination many similar thoughts flittered through my mind, not least of all the appalling interrogation of Shylock in Shakespeare’s unpleasant satire, The Merchant of Venice.
The ever-changing mosaic of thoughts shifted and I saw Shylock being interrogated, except here is no Portia tripping up the recalcitrant Jew. Here are at least a dozen pairs of eyes and I can guarantee that not one of them, could avoid, thinking and not with malice, that in front of them sat a Jew; a money bags dealer. Even if not one of them would ever admit to a shred of anti-Semitism, it would be impossible not to see a distant cousin of Shylock in front of them. I certainly did; I could not help it. How awful, but it is also true. It has been rubbed in our faces by Shakespeare no less than Dickens. And here sitting in front of them, including the lady who could hardly bare to look his way, was the archetypical Jew. You couldn’t make it up.
Even if Shylock was originally in an Italian play, it found its way to our shores: The Italian villain was then changed to Jew. Centuries ago under those horrible interrogation and inquisitions, the Jew would have to answer civilly and been humble, humble yet intellectually sound.
No need for humbleness now; Green was the direct opposite of his distant predecessor. If his eyes were basilisks he would have scorched up the entire circle but yet, he was steaming if not actually burning. It was his face and his expressions that carried the shades of the demonic. Up to now I have only read about the deeds of Green and the rather shabby money dealings and his frequent photo ops with one of his models, out on the town with his heavy paw around some nubile waist. Now, for the first time I heard him and I watched the ‘gentle’ eyes of the Christians attempting to unravel the complex spider webs of this bully and his empire.
I hope the public who were watching were also able to resist the brain washing of centuries and not give in to an almost reflex action and think “look at him, another one of those lying, money grabbing yids”.
I found that I couldn’t switch over to another channel. This was actually too dramatic. This was life and death not those easy, shallow chat shows of Norton, Ross and company with the forced laughter. No, this is the real thing. Now my mind shifted again from Shylock to Al Capone.
Of course, if Green’s empire ever totally collapses and he is looking for another job he should think of shifting his base to LA and having a bash at a few villains. He would make a marvellous Al Capone as what makes gangsters so dangerous is that they are all deliberately thin skinned. They don’t want to be calmly tolerant or turn the other cheek. Green’s bull-like face was full on and he even chided one of the committee with a snide: “Put your glasses back on”. The confessors, however, won’t get much of a confession out of Green. And he won’t take any criticism: “That’s your opinion”, he uttered again and again.
I can see Sir Shifty in the dock: A perfect Capone; think about it Phil.
Theresa May to strip Downing Street of artwork in order to install her version of the ‘Ed Stone’
On Tuesday, The Independent revealed that Theresa May is to “replace some of the artwork hanging in Downing Street with framed quotations of the speech she made upon becoming Prime Minister”.
In the speech, May pledged to stand up against “the privileged few” and fight “burning injustice” but now rather like Ed Miliband with his pointless and much maligned stone, ‘Darth Vader’s sister’ has scored her first own goal given her lack of action against, amongst others, ‘Sir Shifty’ (AKA Philip Green).
What next? Will Mrs May be displaying her garden gnome-like husband in Downing Street’s rose garden?
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[wysija_form id=”2″]
Three Arabic men decide to enjoy a spot of shisha on the A4 as Cara Delevingne looks on
The ‘Ramadan Rush’ is nearly over but in spotting the image that we make our Picture of the Week, Monika Agata Maron truly captured how ridiculous Knightsbridge has become during this period. (more…)
