The petition can be signed at https://campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/philip-green-honour-your-bhs-pensions-pledge and has already attracted nearly 10,000 supporters. It was launched by the TUC after Sir Phillip Green told ITV News he was "very, very, very sorry" for the company’s collapse; but the Pensions Regulator has "yet to receive a comprehensive written proposal" for the pension fund, which faces a deficit of £571m, from the billionaire former BHS owner.

David Gill – Usdaw National Officer says: “Parliament has now voted for Sir Phillip Green to be stripped of his knighthood, but our priority is that he honours his promise to ‘sort’ the pension scheme.

“Usdaw members in BHS were left devastated and jobless by the collapse of a company. 11,000 hard-working and loyal staff totally let down by the actions of a handful of people at the top. Those jobs have tragically gone. Now workers could also lose great chunks of their retirement savings.

“With the stores closed and no visible presence on the high street, we are concerned that the ongoing pension saga could disappear into the background and out of the public gaze. So this petition is a welcome initiative to help us keep the pressure on Sir Phillip.

“Current and future BHS pensioners need to have their futures secured. Let’s stand with them and demand real action now. Please support the petition”

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 435,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 10% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.