Boardroom row at Morrison

A FULL-BLOWN boardroom rift is developing at troubled supermarkets chain Wm Morrison. Deputy chairman David Jones is finding the going tough as he tries to persuade executive chairman Sir Ken Morrison to relinquish control.

The struggle is set to boil over at Morrisons' annual shareholder meeting in Bradford on Thursday.

Hopes are fading that the company will then name some of the four non-executive directors Jones is drafting in to police the running of the business.

Morrisons has been hit by a slump at the checkouts at the same time as it converts Safeway stores to its own yellow and black fascia. Another set of poor trading figures is also expected on Thursday.

The National Association of Pension Funds withdrew its opposition to Sir Ken's re-election, but is still pushing for changes. Jones is determined to bring in an outsider to run the retailer - which means current chief executive Bob Stott must eventually be eased out too.

Former Asda boss Archie Norman is a contender and the search is also on for a new finance director. Friends denied reports that Jones plans to quit as soon as new blood has been brought on board.

However, it is clear that Jones, who also chairs clothing retailer Next and is suffering from ill-health, never bargained for the scale of the task at Morrisons when he stepped up to be deputy chairman in March.

Morrisons' bust-up mirrors the woes of Marks & Spencer, where former Treasury mandarin Lord Burns is being brought in to replace Paul Myners after a messy row with senior independent director Kevin Lomax spilled into the open.

Meanwhile, this week, M&S chief executive Stuart Rose will put a brave face on underlying annual profits of around £610m, down from £805m last year. Heis also expected to unveil a £1bn programme to refurbish tired-looking stores.