On Monday Gordon Brown is to announce the sell-off of unwanted Government assets. Gordon’s message will undoubtedly be about ‘doing the right thing in these difficult times’, and by bringing in revenue from asset sales, ‘will provide funds for the government to help hard-pressed families’, blah, blah.
Sky News claims Gordon will announce the sell-offs of, the Tote, part share in Urenco, the Dartford Crossing Bridge, share of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and Student Loan Book. All have been slated for sale by the Government before, and to prove it:
- The Tote, a Labour Manifesto pledge in 2001, also discussed in 2003.
- Urenco, attempts to sell in 2006 and in 2008.
- Dartford Crossing, slated for sale in April this year.
- Channel Tunnel Rail Link, uncompleted promise in 2007 to sell by 2009.
- Student Loan Book, announced in 2007, still waiting in 2009.
The real story should be about Labour incompetence, and why it has failed to dispose of these unwanted assets when the financial climate was rosier than it is now’? Neither the BBC nor Sky News mention this in their reports.
