Eurostar sell-off attacked

Rail unions have reacted angrily to the government’s announcement that it is selling its 40% stake in the Eurostar Channel tunnel rail operator.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT union called the plan “a gross act of betrayal of the British people by a right-wing government hell bent on selling off the family silver regardless of the real cost”.

The sale could compound the issue of foreign ownership of Britain’s railways. Analysis released by RMT in October showed that 20 of the UK’s 27 private rail contracts are now owned by foreign state-owned or state-backed railways.

These include the French state-owned rail company, SNCF. It owns 55% of Eurostar and has a preferential status in the bidding for the UK stake, giving it a final option to buy after others have bid.

http://live.rmt.netxtra.net/news/research-shows-three-quarters-of-uk-rail-now-foreign-owned/

http://live.rmt.netxtra.net/news/rmt-hits-back-at-eurostar-sell-off