Wilko bosses face questioning by MPs

Wilko’s top executives are set to face questioning by MPs on the Business and Trade select committee next Tuesday (November 28) regarding the company’s demise, which resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs.

The GMB Union has said they demand answers from Wilko as a Parliamentary committee summons company executives over the collapse that led to job losses.

Earlier this month, the GMB, set to provide evidence to the committee, wrote to the newly elected chair, Liam Byrne MP, urging accountability for Wilko’s actions.

The discount retailer Wilko declared insolvency earlier this year, leaving over 10,000 employees unemployed.

Despite the collapse, the Wilkinson family, who received £77m in dividends over the past decade, has yet to address questions about the business failure.

Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer who will give evidence to the committee, said:  “It’s only right Wilko bosses should be forced to explain themselves to MPs. They ignored all warnings about their company’s financial future – lining their own pockets and dishing out millions to shareholders before leaving 10,000 people jobless. Wilko workers deserve answers from the company that crushed their livelihoods, while UK taxpayers will want to know why they’ve had today millions in redundancy payments. Hopefully the select committee will get those answers.”