An MP has condemned Asda for its "tyrannical" treatment of one of its former pharmacists.

Gerald Kaufman, Labour MP for Manchester Gorton, told parliament last week (July 10) that the supermarket had "bullied and bludgeoned" his constituent for more than two years.

Asda was unable to comment on the issue for legal reasons as the case was ongoing, it told C+D this week.

It is the second time Sir Gerald has raised the issue, having called on the government to condemn the employment practices of "these nasty bullies" in an early day motion submitted for debate in the House of Commons in February. Then, Sir Gerald said his constituent had been suspended from an Asda branch in Longsight, Manchester, for nearly two years on "bogus allegations" and then unfairly dismissed after a "protracted and biased process".

The MP said he suspected that racism had been involved in the "persecution" of the pharmacist and that Asda had breached the code of practice of employment regulator the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. He called on the government to investigate the "immoral thugs" at the supermarket chain.

Sir Gerald provided no further information about the allegations that Asda had made against his constituent.

Andrew Lansley, leader of the House of Commons, said he would pass on the issue to his colleagues at the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), although he advised the pharmacist to resolve his complaint through civil procedures rather than through the government.

BIS told C+D it had received the complaint and would be responding in a written answer by next week. However, the government was unable to comment on individual cases, it said.

	Have you observed bullying behaviour by pharmacist employers?