![]() The allegation is that Mr Allan remarked of a woman's dress that it was, 'making it hard to concentrate on anything else' Some people have suggested there is a conspiracy to bring down the CBI and I am collateral damage.' Yet now, four years after the event, it is still being resurrected and you might question "why?" She was perfectly within her rights to raise the complaint. 'The woman said she was entirely satisfied with my apology. 'I agreed to meet the woman and apologised unreservedly within 24 hours,' says Mr Allan. Ms Fairbairn viewed the remark as not sexualised but rather as a 'clumsy and insensitive attempt at a compliment by a man from an older generation'. She complained to a senior manager, who told Carolyn Fairbairn (then the CBI's director-general.) The woman did not say anything to him on the spot, although she was apparently so upset she went home for the rest of the day. I think she took exception to the reference to her figure, which, with the benefit of hindsight, I accept.' 'I remarked that her dress, "really suits your figure". 'I saw the woman she'd been working really hard and looked a bit down in the mouth, and I intended to cheer her up. 'This is the only allegation that has any truth in it,' he said, speaking to the Mail. He said he complimented a female colleague on her appearance and has apologised wholeheartedly for the offence caused. Mr Allan does admit to a 'misjudged' comment at a CBI conference in 2019, when he was president of the lobbying group. The allegations he faces include allegedly touching staff members' bottoms on two occasions - once at a Tesco shareholder meeting in 2022 and at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in May 2019. Since then, Mr Allan has been fighting to repair his reputation. Similarly, Barratt said it did not receive any complaints about the former company chairman during his tenure with the house builder but had asked him to step aside in the best interests of the firm. Tesco has insisted he leave his post early after four women made allegations about his personal conduct However, it's understood bosses at the retail giant were concerned the allegations risked becoming a distraction. Tesco said it had made 'no findings of wrongdoing' by Mr Allan at the time of this departure. ![]() 'I think the companies that I was chair of… frankly felt they had to be seen to be doing something, and the simplest and easiest thing was to propel me under the nearest bus.' On Sky News's Sophie Ridge on Sunday programme, Mr Allan said: 'As far as I'm concerned there is absolutely no substance in any of these allegations, I'm completely innocent and the Guardian, notwithstanding, decided to publish. However, protesting his innocence about the other claims, the 74-year-old business veteran said he had been 'propelled under the nearest bus', as he claimed he had not been 'fairly treated' by both Tesco and Barratt. But speaking exclusively to the Mail last month, he did admit to making an 'ill-judged' comment about a women's appearance. Mr Allan has vehemently denied claims of inappropriate touching. ![]() The project hopes to grow 30 million heads of lettuce a year for sale to local grocery stores and restaurants and distribution throught the Northeast.The fallout from the accusations saw Mr Allan also losing his role as the chairman of housebuilding Barratt Development. North Country Growers in New Hampshire is getting a $19.9 million guaranteed loan to build and operate a 20-acre hydroponic greenhouse to grow lettuce and other leafy greens year round, he said. “Thanks to our partnership with federal officials, including Secretary Vilsack’s Department of Agriculture, we’re making significant progress in tackling food insecurity and leading the way in developing new approaches to create more healthy food options in our city,” Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said. The market sells fresh fruits, vegetables and other products grown by immigrant farmers, some of which are distributed via a community-supported agriculture program. He spoke during a visit to the Fresh Start Market in Manchester, New Hampshire. “We’re here to underscore the important role that local and regional food systems play for American agriculture and farmers, and to announce $320 million of variety of loans and grants which are designed to strengthen the supply chain, to make the food system more resilient and to create a number of opportunities for mid- and small-size operators,” he said. Department of Agriculture is seeding agricultural producers and food businesses with millions of dollars in investment funds to improve markets, create and strengthen jobs, control food prices and improve nutrition, Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday. ![]()
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