Lord Myners questions Cameron's appointment of Portas

Former City Minister Lord Myners is thought to have tabled a parliamentary question, asking what has been done to identify potential conflicts of interests, according to the Times.

Portas runs a retail PR firm Yellow Door, which has links to retailers including Clarks and Oasis as well as property firm Westfield.

Lord Myners said: “Parliament needs to be alerted to any suggestion that a review might be compromised by any conflicts of interest, actual or perceived, that the review might have.”

It is thought that Lord Myners is demanding Portas drops her commercial relationships while she is working on behalf of the government, and not to take up new appointments for two years in line with rules followed by government ministers.

The Prime Minister revealed earlier this month that he had appointed Portas to conduct a review of British high streets.

Some retailers have reacted angrily to the appointment, arguing that it was just a publicity stunt by Cameron.

One retailer told the Times: “What’s needed is a measured but empathetic response and there’s a danger that Mary Portas is seen as a media star and not taken seriously.”

Lord Myners has pursued issues of conflict since joining the House of Lords. He tabled a question asking about the independence and outcomes of an efficiency review led by Arcadia boss Sir Philip Green.