The boss of the UK's largest clothing retailer said that the Government is going to face "difficult questions" as the recession gets deeper about "how far and how wide it is going to help people".  Principled: Sir Stuart Rose says consumers can take comfort in Marks and Spencer's ethical stance.  Sir Stuart, who sits on Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Business Council of corporate leaders, called on the Government to be "even-handed" in which industries it offers financial lifelines to, particularly as the economy will remain "severely depressed" throughout 2009.  "Where is the buck going to stop? The banks get potentially nationalised, certain industries get some help and SMEs get some help. There are potentially going to be some problems with liquidity and refinancing [among retailers], and what is going to happen this year when what I call a proper company gets into trouble? Is the same sort of help going to be offered to these businesses? I don't know. Time will tell," he said.  The retail industry employs 2.8m people and it the UK's third largest private sector employer. Retailers have recently had their worst Christmas trading for 14 years, and it is predicted that 100,000 jobs could be lost in the sector throughout 2009. Last week the Government offered a £2.3bn support package to the struggling motor industry. Sir Stuart said that such help should not be confined to the manufacturing sector.  "As [Lord] Mandelson was at pains to point out, they are helping part of industry that has been most hard hit.  Well, that is the part of the industry that has been most hard hit today, but what is going to be most hard hit tomorrow? Or most hard hit the week after?  "I don't know. I am not unsympathetic. I think that they have got a difficult path to tread but they have to be careful that they are seen to be even-handed," he said.
The Government should be prepared to offer the same level of financial help to   struggling retail businesses as it has given the banking and car industries,   Sir Stuart Rose, the executive chairman of Marks &amp; Spencer, has said.