A surprise visit by MPs to Sports Direct's Shirebrook warehouse has descended into farce after the company was accused of spying on the Business Select Committee with a secret recording device.
The Business Select Committee on Monday turned up unannounced at the sportswear giant's headquarters as part of their pledge to monitor and review improvements to working practices.
Iain Wright, chairman of the committee, had authored a scathing report that held Sports Direct's founder Mike Ashley accountable for the "disturbing picture of Victorian working practices".
Mr Wright gave Sports Direct one hour's notice before he arrived at the company's Shirebrook premises around midday and after a short stand-off with the company's representatives, the group of six MPs were given a three-hour tour of the warehouses and the premises.
"We said that we would make an unannounced trip and monitor the progress," said Mr Wright. "I want to make sure that it's not all smelling of fresh paint and we get a real impression of the company", said the Labour MP for Hartlepool.
However, the trip to Shirebrook was thrown into chaos after it emerged that the company had attempted to covertly record the MPs having a private discussion following their tour.
Anna Turley, MP for Redcar, told The Telegraph that a woman entered the MPs' meeting room, ostensibly with the purpose of bringing in a tray of sandwiches, and placed a recording device underneath a chair.
"I couldn't believe it", Ms Turley said. "I watched her put the device on the floor and when she left I said 'bloody hell guys they are trying to record us'. It's not James Bond, more Austin Powers."
When MPs confronted Sports Direct's spokesman, Gary Thompson, and operations boss Karen Byers, after discovering the device they were put on the phone to Mr Ashley who accused them of planting the recorder.
"I was put on the phone to him [Mr Ashley] and he said 'you must have planted it there'," Mr Wright said."Then the PR said that it must have been there before from a previous meeting. But that is all nonsense and I said as much", the MP added.
Ms Turley added that the recorder that was found on the floor was the same one used during the tour when company representatives filmed the questions being asked by MPs.
Mr Ashley was not at Shirebrook during the visit by MPs as he was "out of the country on business". A company spokesman declined to comment on the recording device.
Mr Wright said: "It's really indicative of the culture which is mistrustful of staff and outsiders. We didn't expect to be welcomed with open arms but to behave like this is unbelievable. It really is disgusting"
Sources at Sports Direct suggested that the company was furious and had accused the MPs of wielding undue levels of power by turning up unannounced. Initially, the company is thought to have considered blocking the committee's entrance to Shirebrook.
In September Sports Direct ran its first ever "open day" for investors and the media in an effort to address some of the criticism of its working practices. However, the company garnered more negative publicity when Mr Ashley was filmed pulling out wads of £50 notes in front of minimum wage factory staff.
Mr Ashley and Mr Wright have had a tense relationship ever since the MP launched an inquiry into working practices. The sportswear tycoon had attempting to dodge a grilling in Westminster by offering to fly MPs up to Shirebrook in his private helicopter.