Marks & Spencer has sacked the staff member who leaked details of proposed changes to the retailer’s redundancy payments to the media.

He was told today that he was being dismissed for gross misconduct and that his comments to the press had been derogatory and speculative. The retailer was concerned that the employee might disclose confidential information again in future.

The employee, who has worked for M&S for 25 years, was represented at a disciplinary hearing by the GMB trade union, which intends to appeal against M&S’s decision.