Mulholland slates 'litigious' Enterprise Inns

Save the Pub Group chairman Greg Mulholland MP has raised concerns about the "incredible litigiousness" of pubco Enterprise Inns.

The MP for Leeds North West raised the matter in the Houses of Commons yesterday when he referred to it as "a very important and worrying matter".

He said: "Enterprise Inns is Britain's most notorious pubco. Its reputation is shown by its incredible litigiousness. It has tried to sue local media and national media, and has indeed threatened hon. Members of this House.

"I do not know if you are aware of this, but Enterprise Inns has sought by way of legal threat and intimidation to prevent the Business and Enterprise Committee from carrying out its scrutiny of the activities of the pub company."

At the follow-up sessions to the MP-led inquiry into pubcos earlier this week chairman Peter Luff said he had been wary of commenting on the report due to threats of legal action.

However the Speaker John Bercow slapped Mulholland on the wrists by saying he should not have initially raised his concerns on the floor.

He said: "I have listened very carefully to what the hon. Gentleman has said, which is certainly a matter of the highest importance to him and to many others. However, I have to say to him at this stage that if he has a complaint about a breach of the privilege of the House, that is a matter about which, in the first instance, he should come to me, or it is open to him to write to me."