Former Tesco and Barratt Developments Chairman John Allan Reinstated as Chair of Imperial College London Council

The decision to allow Allan to resume his duties as chair of the university's council until the end of the year was made in a memo from the university's president, Hugh Brady, and was reportedly based on the agreement that Allan would not participate in any Council meetings or activities.

Allan's reinstatement at Imperial College has raised questions about the handling of the allegations against him by other boards on which he served.

Allan himself has spoken of feeling "propelled under the nearest bus" in the wake of the allegations, which he has consistently denied.

The search for a new chair of the council is currently underway, with no indication as to whether Allan will be considered for the position.

The decision to allow Allan to continue in his current role has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the move as a vindication of Allan's innocence, while others have criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the decision.

Allan's effective reinstatement comes after a tumultuous few months for the former business executive, who was forced to step down from his roles at Tesco and Barratt Developments in May following the fallout from the crisis at the CBI, the business lobbying group.

Allan himself is a former CBI president, and his departure from the organizations he once led was seen as a significant blow to the business community.

Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding Allan, he has reportedly been active in his efforts to clear his name and improve the handling of similar allegations in the future.

In an interview with Sky News' Sophy Ridge last month, Allan spoke of his desire to work with others in the business community to develop a more fair and transparent approach to handling such allegations in the future.