Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is facing calls to resign over a meeting with a Brighton and Hove Albion director that took place four years ago.

Mr Prescott visited Portslade construction firm Adenstar in May 2002 to open new offices and present awards.

Adenstar managing director Derek Chapman is an Albion director and his firm is expected to bid for the £50 million contract to build the club's new stadium at Falmer.

Mr Prescott granted planning permission for the 22,000-seat arena last October.

Lewes MP Norman Baker has highlighted the issue as Mr Prescott faces conflict of interest allegations over his relationship with US billionaire Philip Anschutz.

Mr Baker said he was concerned Mr Prescott may have used his ministerial position to grant planning permission for someone he knew from the Derek Chapman meeting.

He said: "It is very unusual for someone as senior as the Deputy Prime Minister to agree to open the offices of a small property company that no one has heard of. It is eye-popping to find he has later overruled two planning inspectors by giving consent to the stadium (which may be) built by the same company."

Mr Chapman, 48, a director of the club for the past seven years, paid a reported £500,000 for a 13 per cent stake in Albion and a further £500,000 for an option to tender for the stadium contract.

In 2002 Mr Baker received a ministerial apology when he asked questions about the Adenstar visit.

The Government at first denied Mr Prescott had met any Albion directors but junior minister Yvette Cooper then backtracked, blaming an administrative error.

A spokesman for Mr Prescott said the Deputy Prime Minister had attended the Adenstar office opening routinely to present an award and denied there had been any discussion of the planning application or any wrongdoing.

Mr Chapman declined to comment.