// Former Tesco boss John Allan has insisted there is “absolutely no substance” to the accusations made about his behaviour
// The businessman has denied three claims made against him, and “unreservedly apologised” for a fourth
John Allan, the former chair of Tesco and housebuilder Barratt, claims he has been “propelled under the nearest bus” by the firms in the wake of misconduct allegations.
Allan, who was forced to step down as chair of the supermarket over allegations of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour by four women, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme there is “absolutely no substance” in the accusations, and insisted he was “completely innocent”.
He was also asked to exit Barratt. Allan said he hasn’t been “particularly fairly treated” by the firms.
“I think the companies that I was chair of while saying lots of nice things about all the amazing things I’ve done for them over the eight or nine years I’ve been involved with them, frankly felt they had to be seen to be to do something, and the simplest and easiest thing was to propel me under the nearest bus,” he said.
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“Now, having crawled out from two successive buses and still standing, I’m going to plan over the next few months to talk to a lot of people who know a lot more about this than me to sort of see if we can devise a better way so the next person who is subject to this sort of allegation is more fairly treated.”
In May, The Guardian reported that Allan allegedly touched the bottom of a senior Tesco staffer at the grocer’s AGM in June 2022. A similar event was alleged to have happend at the CBI annual dinner in 2019.
He has denied three of the claims, but has admitted to an “ill-judged remark” and has already “unreservedly apologised” for the incident where he made comment on a female member of staff’s figure at a CBI conference.
Tesco said it had made “no findings of wrongdoing” against the businessman while reporting his departure in May, while Barratt Developments insisted it had not had any complaints against Allan while he worked at the company.
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