The row over Sir Ian Prosser’s appointment as chairman-elect of Sainsbury erupted again yesterday.

Newspaper reports state that headhunter Whitehead Mann has accused the supermarket group of passing over all the blame for the failed appointment of Prosser.

Whitehead Mann noted that its job was only to produce a short-list of candidates, leaving the final decision to Sainsbury’s nomination committee.

Reports state that Sainsbury is grateful to the company for finding its current chief executive Justin King.

The search for a new deputy chairman and chairman-elect to replace Sir Peter Davis continues, but is now being carried out by headhunting company Egon Zehnder International.