John Allan has announced he is stepping down as Tesco Chairman next month in light of multiple harassment allegations, claiming the negative publicity “risk[s] becoming a distraction” to the supermarket. Allan denies three of the four allegations, although he admits he told a co-worker her dress “suited her figure”…
This will also come as a huge blow to Labour, who’ve spent months sucking up to big business and even relied on Allan as a star performer at their prawn cocktail offensive in the City earlier this year. Interim Chair, Byron Grote said:
“While we have received no complaints about [Allan]’s conduct and made no findings of wrongdoing, these allegations risk becoming a distraction to Tesco.”
Allan has already wasted money attempting to get this gripping story from the Sun removed from the Google index. Wonder if he’ll try that trick again today…
UPDATE: Allan is also “temporarily” stepping back as the Chair of Imperial College Council, as per an email sent by College President Hugh Brady:
“Dear Colleagues,
At its meeting on Friday last, Imperial’s Council considered the recent allegations made against its Chair, John Allan, as reported in the Guardian newspaper. Since these reports surfaced, I have had conversations with John, University Management Board, Heads of Departments and Council and feedback from the Imperial community was reflected in the discussion at Council.It was noted that none of these allegations relate to his role at Imperial, no complaints had been received by Imperial and that John vigorously denies the allegations. However, John expressed that in the broader best interests of the Imperial community he has chosen to voluntarily step back from his Imperial activities until the matter is resolved. Council thanked John and our Deputy Chair, John Cullen, has agreed to step in as needed during this period.Thank you for your continued feedback. Please share this information with your colleagues, as appropriate.”
Allegations of groping against Tesco chairman, former CBI President and Labour Party backer, John Allan, are coming in thick and fast with two women claiming physically inappropriate behaviour and a further two women alleging Allan spoke sexually out of turn. There’s a lot to grapple with here…
The Tesco chair’s alleged first victim claims Allan, 74, grabbed her bottom at the CBI annual dinner in May 2019. Also in 2019, Allan was forced to apologise to a co-worker for saying her dress “suited her figure”. At another annual corporate whoopee, this time for Tesco in June 2022, it is claimed that Allan touched the bottom of a co-worker. A fourth woman claims Allan told her that her bottom was making it hard for him to concentrate on anything else in 2021. Allan denies three of the four allegations… though it is possible that he hasn’t grasped the full extent of the predicament yet.
The Guardian’s coverage of the story made sure to include a picture of Allan shaking hands with Boris back in 2019, although for some reason they forgot to mention his more recent schmoozing efforts: he’s now one of Labour’s biggest cheerleaders in the City. In fact, here he is sat right next to Rachel Reeves during Labour’s big meeting with business leaders earlier this year…
My Labour government will secure the highest sustained growth in the G7.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 27, 2023
Fantastic to speak with business leaders this morning, about how @RachelReevesMP and I will work in partnership with them to deliver good jobs, drive productivity, and make every family better off. pic.twitter.com/0cF3xp71ys
He’s even played a starring role in Labour’s latest prawn cocktail offensive, signing letters of support, explaining to City hotshots how sucking up to enterprise could land yet another blow to the Tories’ fundraising efforts. Plucky Allan has always enjoyed a colourful personal past, so maybe the latest claims shouldn’t come as a surprise. He made headlines in the Sun back in 1998 for another gripping story:
“A millionaire was granted an historic divorce because his wife banned saucy sex acts, it was revealed yesterday. Tycoon John Allan, 49, said Polish-born Ewa stopped performing oral sex […] The judge, assistant recorder Alison Hall QC, said the couple’s sex life began to decline from mid-1994 “because of the wife’s disinclination to perform certain sexual acts, previously enjoyed, on principle.”
Tesco have lunged to Allan’s defence to deny the 2022 allegation. Every little helps…
Labour’s efforts to climb into bed with big businesses continue this evening, with yet another swanky drinks reception over in Canary Wharf. Rachel Reeves will lead the prawn cocktail offensive, with around 350 tycoons gathering to hear her plans to make the UK friendlier to startups. It’s one of those irregular verbs: Tories offer cash for access, Labour conducts business engagement…
Among the big names expected to woo the crowd is none other than Tesco boss John Allan, who’ll explain how sucking up to enterprise could land yet another blow to the Tories’ fundraising efforts. Every little helps…
Allan is no stranger to getting down to business. Back in 1998, he made headlines in The Sun over a certain breach of contract:
“A millionaire was granted an historic divorce because his wife banned saucy sex acts, it was revealed yesterday. Tycoon John Allan, 49, said Polish-born Ewa stopped performing oral sex. He said their sex life had deteriorated after she became deeply religious .[..] The businessman, who has just pocketed £1.5million profit from selling shares, was granted a divorce in the High Court on the grounds of his wife’s unreasonable behaviour […]
A top legal expert said: “It is the first time I’ve heard of a case of whether a wife performs certain sexual favours coming into it. It seems the court is saying that a wife is obliged to provide extra services in the bedroom.” The judge, assistant recorder Alison Hall QC, said the couple’s sex life began to decline from mid-1994 “because of the wife’s disinclination to perform certain sexual acts, previously enjoyed, on principle.”
With Labour hoping to get lucky at the next election, who better to show them how it’s done?
