A board member of the Co-operative Group has stepped down from the company following an investigation into a series of leaks to the press concerning the group’s operations.

Stuart Ramsay, a computer technician who has been involved with the Co-operative for 25 years, according to its website, has stepped down immediately according to sources.

The leaks included details of former chief executive Euan Sutherland’s pay before he resigned.

In other news, a report out today said that the Co-operative Bank's merger with the Britannia building society in 2009 “should never have happened”.

Sir Christopher Kelly's report blames the deal for bringing the bank to a near collapse last year.