An Employment Tribunal in Holborn is hearing a high profile claim for sexual harassment and sexual discrimination against multi-millionaire businessman and would-be politician, Simon Franks. Franks, the founder of LoveFilm, plans to launch his new centrist political party named United for Change in May. His new centrist party wants “to do things differently”.

Franks failed in his attempt to obtain a gagging order to prevent Guido reporting the details of the case. Ms Annabel Mullin, a former Liberal Democrat candidate for Kensington in the 2017 General Election, took up employment with United for Change last year. The new party has been plagued by high staff turnover. A row took place in February 2018 in which Franks told the new employee of only a few weeks to “f**k off”. Mullin reportedly then informed Mr Franks of her concerns about a photo that was on the Internet of Mr Franks holding with a male friend of his, a cartoon style picture of two penises. She accused him of being the artist and queried menacingly how this picture would play in the Daily Mail. Franks admits he responded – in an allegedly blasé and self satisfied manner – that he did not draw the picture, as if had he done so “he would have drawn a bigger penis.”

Mullin, a former police officer, claims she found Franks’ comments and behaviour offensive. Franks is then alleged to have dismissed her concerns and said to various staff present that “he could f******g sack the lot of them”. Franks told Ms Mullin, after arriving at work the next day, that he felt he had been made to feel “like a pervert” and driven to drink a bottle of wine that night by her comments. Lawyers at the hearing are arguing over whether her employment was terminated before or after she raised the issue of the ‘dick pic’.

Ms Mullin has brought claims for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, victimisation and whistleblowing against United for Change and Franks. The case papers also disclose that Franks apparently also faces an additional, separate Employment Tribunal claim for alleged age and sexual harassment/discrimination by a female job candidate in relation to questions he allegedly asked at a job interview in April 2018. There are also allegations of a series of other allegedly offensive and discriminatory remarks made by Franks according to two eyewitnesses who no longer work there.

Franks readily admits being difficult to work for and to swearing too much, he told the hearing that his “12 year-old daughter collects money off me every time I swear” in a swear box. Annabel Mullin is now leader of the centrist Renew Party. It is the second centrist party she has lead in 2 years…

Simon Franks alleges that her case is part financed by rival centrist millionaires to destroy United for Change and his reputation. Mullin denies it. The hearing continues…