Cherie Blair’s step-mother appears at employment tribunal

The step-mother of former prime minister’s wife Cherie Blair has appeared at an employment tribunal in Manchester, where she revealed she was sworn at by her employer after raising problems with him.

Steph Booth told the tribunal she had approached her boss Gareth Binding, managing director of Cool UK, to speak of her concerns about the charity, which teaches teenagers who have been excluded from school.

She told her employer she felt the charity was “chaotic and unprofessional”, but that he “sneered” at her in response.

In addition to swearing, Ms Booth alleges Mr Binding’s behaviour towards her in front of colleagues was “aggressive and derogatory”.

Following the incident, the claimant took a month off work sick, before later being made redundant.

And when Ms Booth was later elected to stand as a Labour candidate for Calder Valley constituency in West Yorkshire, she claimed Mr Binding attempted to “sabotage” her ambition, in a campaign which included writing to the prime minister.

“He wished to victimise, punish and discredit me,” she said.

Ms Booth is claiming unfair dismissal and breach of contract, among other complaints.