The Guardian Media Group chief executive, Carolyn McCall, has today resigned as a non-executive director of Tesco, after the supermarket group launched a legal action against the Guardian last week.
McCall, who has been on the Tesco board for just over three years, said she had resigned to avoid any conflict of interest.
"It is with regret that I have decided to resign from the Tesco board, but given the clear conflict of interest, it would be inappropriate for me to continue in the role," she said.
The Tesco chairman, David Reid, said: "It is with regret that I accept Carolyn's resignation from the board. She has been a very good non-executive director at Tesco and has made a strong contribution to the success of the business."
It is understood that McCall has been talking to Tesco about her position on the supermarket group's board since Monday and parted company on personally amicable terms with the other directors.
Tesco launched legal action against the Guardian late on Friday over allegations concerning its tax affairs. The UK's biggest retailer began legal proceedings against the paper and its editor, Alan Rusbridger, for libel and malicious falsehood.
However, the Guardian claimed that Tesco's actions amounted to bullying and were designed to silence public debate on the important issue of taxation.
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