The former project managers on the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium have criticised the bidding process as unfair, according to the BBC.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is due to tell MPs by Thursday (23 May) if the Football Association has finalised a £400m package for the project.

There is growing speculation she will announce a further delay or even pull the plug on Wembley in favour of a new national stadium near Birmingham.

FA company secretary Nic Coward warned that if the redevelopment deal fell through the only remaining choice would be to re-open the old stadium for matches to provide revenue to help pay back the £120m of public money already pumped into the project.

The BBC reports that David Hudson, chair and managing director of project management consultants Tropus, said the Wembley bidding process had failed to follow normal commercial practice.

He claimed 'preferential treatment' had been given to the Bovis-Multiplex (BMX) consortium in the award of preferred-bidder status.

Giving evidence to the Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee, he said: 'The competition put in place was clearly not fair.'