Britain's richest plumber Charlie Mullins has been warned he could be stripped of his OBE for a second time after calling for illegal migrants crossing the Channel to be "sent back to the jungle".
The multi-millionaire businessman was investigated by the Honours Forfeiture Committee after a member of the public complained that his comments on social media were racist. However, Mr Mullins has now been told the committee will take no further action after his lawyers submitted a 26-page document arguing that his remarks had been misunderstood.
The Reform UK donor insisted he was referring to migrant camps in northern France, rather than making a racist comment, pointing to the notorious Calais Jungle, which housed thousands of migrants before it was dismantled in 2016.
Controversial social media post
The controversy centres on a since-deleted post on X in which Mr Mullins criticised the Government's handling of the small boats crisis. He wrote: "Paying tax does not bother me I've paid over £100m in personal tax in my lifetime. What bothers me what they spend our tax on anybody but English. They will never get another penny off of me to give all the illegals and the ponces."
"Send them back to the jungle."
The complaint alleged that the reference to the jungle was racist. But Mr Mullins told the Daily Mail: "They were trying to claim I was being racist by using the word 'jungle', but that's what everyone refers to these camps as - including all the newspapers.
"The person who reported it was obviously just looking for something to take the OBE away.
"It's stupidity. When I said 'Send them back to the jungle' I meant the migrant camps. I'm told they're not very nice to live in and that's exactly what I meant."
He added that by "ponces" he meant illegal migrants he believed were living off taxpayers.
Second threat to honour
Mr Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, was awarded his OBE in 2015 for services to plumbing.
It is the second time in just over two years that his honour has come under threat. In September 2024, the committee raised concerns about a series of controversial comments, including a post on X saying "someone should kill" London Mayor Sadiq Khan during a discussion about the capital's Ulez scheme.
It also highlighted remarks about television presenter Carol Vorderman, comments about employing transgender people and an allegation that he had made a racist joke at the British Curry Awards.
His lawyers argued at the time that the threshold for stripping him of his honour had not been met, citing freedom of expression and his mental health difficulties at the time. The committee ultimately decided against taking action.
Political motivation claim
Mr Mullins has now accused the authorities of targeting him because of his political views. He said: "They've now tried twice to take my OBE away." He also claimed the investigation was politically motivated, accusing the Labour Government of victimisation.
The committee is convened on an ad hoc basis by the Prime Minister and chaired by senior civil servant Dame Sarah Healey.
However, the Government has previously rejected claims that the process is politically influenced, insisting the committee is entirely apolitical and that no ministers or political appointees are involved in its decisions.
Mr Mullins, who moved to Marbella in Spain after criticising Labour's tax policies, was previously a Conservative donor but has since become a prominent supporter of Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
He has vowed that his new plumbing and home-services business, WeFix, will not work for Labour MPs, saying: "We don't work for any Labour MPs. We don't go near Leftists or woke people."
