The family feud at Blackwell Publishing is likely to come to a head this week at two meetings called to try to force a sale of the company.

A spokesman for rebel shareholder Toby Blackwell, 74, said negotiations between the two sides would go on until the last minute.

At the first meeting on Thursday, May 23, Mr Blackwell has tabled a resolution to the board of Blackwell Ltd, the book-selling wing of the family empire, to force a sale of the publishing company. Blackwell Ltd has the casting vote on the publishing company's board, which will meet on Friday. Mr Blackwell is asking it to move towards a sale.

He has put forward a resolution asking it to consider a £300m approach from publisher Taylor & Francis, which recently moved its journals publishing operation to Milton Park, near Abingdon.

His other resolution is to appoint three new directors to the Blackwell Publishing board, which opposes a sale.

Mr Blackwell, who needs a simple majority of the votes to support his motions, is believed to own 30 per cent of Blackwell Publishing and claims support from individuals holding 12 per cent.

However, his nephew, Nigel Blackwell, who chairs the company, strongly opposes a trade sale and wants to float it on the stock market in three years' time.

He owns 42 per cent of the voting shares, and Toby Blackwell needs the backing of Blackwell Ltd, which owns 9.3 per cent.

He aims to use his 64 per cent holding in Blackwell Ltd to win the support of its stake in Friday's vote of Blackwell Publishing share- holders.

A further 5.3 per cent of Blackwell Publishing is held by Philip Blackwell, Toby's son. Philip is chief executive of Blackwell Ltd but it is unclear whether he will support his father or his cousin.

The extraordinary meeting of Blackwell Publishing had been scheduled for April 18 but was adjourned for talks between the two sides.

The board commissioned a financial review by merchant bank Morgan Stanley to examine ways of increasing value and liquidity for Blackwell Publishing shareholders.

The details of the report have not been revealed, but a spokesman for Toby Blackwell said: "The Morgan Stanley report has not changed Toby's mind. He still believes that a private sale is the right way to go."