PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE MEANT that yesterday Lord Peter Hain was in a position to release the name of the business tycoon at the centre of a scandal which the media had dubbed the ‘British #MeToo‘ this week.
That name was Sir Philip Green; the controversial chairman of Arcadia Group, a retail company which includes a number of high-street names including Topshop and Miss Selfridge.
The 66-year-old’s reputation was far from exemplary up until that moment; having made headlines over issues of tax avoidance and workers’ rights in recent years.
Rumours abound that he was an intimidating figure, and in the hours which preceded Lord Hain’s address in the House of Lords, social media was awash with tweets implicating Philip Green in the scandal.
Indeed, there was little surprise expressed on social media in the hours that followed the announcement.
Sir Philip Green has been accused of bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment; allegations the businessman has wholly denied.
Let’s be clear; Philip Green is the individual at the centre of this scandal, and yet this morning, attention has been diverted towards his daughter, Chloe.
One red-top highlighted the fact that Chloe Green had ‘stayed silent’ since her father was named yesterday.
Others used Lord Hain’s announcement as an opportunity to remind the public that Chloe has had a child with Jeremy Meeks, a convicted criminal dubbed the ‘hot felon’ after his mugshot circulated online in 2016.
Social media users did both, with the 27-year-old having been dubbed ‘a moronic obnoxious c*nt’ in the wake of the allegations which were made against her billionaire father.
Chloe Green stays silent as dad Philip named as businessman at centre of scandal https://t.co/0ZvRN9tS8s pic.twitter.com/mMAnQzHOMP
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) October 26, 2018
How will this affect the budding romance between Chloe Green and Hot Convict? pic.twitter.com/CHYxNGuxhz
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) October 25, 2018
While things are going badly for Sir Philip Green I am cheering for his daughter and her sexy criminal co-parent https://t.co/f0jses5UYj
— Elvira, Mistress of the Snark (@dansette) October 25, 2018
I wonder if due to the Philip Green carry on the hot felon can see his meal ticket disappearing before his very eyes #MeToo #philipgreen
— Lealea1504🐱🏴🇬🇧 (@uk_lealea) October 26, 2018
'Hot Felon' has left Chloe in disgust! Hmmmmmpph!
— Vic (@My_2_P) October 26, 2018
did you hear that apparently the hot felon refused to be photographed by a woman bc she was 'too fat'? so...i think chloe is prob fine with the bed she's made
— Miranda Larbi (@MirandaLarbi) October 26, 2018
The subtext is clear; Chloe is fair game now that her father has been ‘outed’.
Any criticism the public had against Chloe for entering into a relationship with a convicted criminal now feels justified, and yesterday’s announcement has given them carte blanche to use her as method to bolster the narrative surrounding her father.
The conduct of the men in Chloe Green’s life has resulted in her public vilification this morning.
It’s Philip Green that has been accused of a multitude of serious offences, so contextualising them around his daughter – however subtle – is a sad indictment of inherent misogyny.
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