UK government sell 40% Eurostar stake
The UK government will sell its 40% stake in cross-Channel train operator Eurostar to an Anglo-Canadian consortium for £757.1m.
Patina Rail LLP will acquire the UK Treasury's entire share of the high-speed rail service under the deal, while the French and Belgian national railways will continue to own the rest.
Chancellor George Osborne initially set out plans to sell in 2013 in the Autumn statement and National infrastructure plan. He said the stake had fetched "far more than people expected we'd be able to sell it for".
"This is a very good deal - it means we can cut the national debt, it means we can invest in our national infrastructure and it's fantastic value for British taxpayers. It's all part of our long-term plan to secure Britain's future," he added.
Rail unions have attacked the sale as a Thatcherist move for short terms gain.