Qu Li, a Chinese motor consultant controversially employed by MG Rover, has emerged as a participant in talks to buy the assets of LDV, the Birmingham vanmaker that collapsed into administration in June.

MG Rover was criticised in a recent government-sponsored report for paying £1.7m in commissions to companies associated with Ms Li. The money was for her services advising on and brokering deals with Chinese partners. These included Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, whose withdrawal from joint venture talks with MG Rover in 2005 triggered its collapse with 6,000 job losses.