Marcus Blackmore says the other directors of health supplements company Blackmores need to give serious thought to asking newly re-elected chairman Anne Templeman-Jones to relinquish her role after almost 40 per cent of votes were cast against her at the annual meeting.

Mr Blackmore, who described his relationship with Ms Templeman-Jones as “poisonous”, said the vote against her should trigger a practical response from the other directors to choose a new chairman from within their ranks.