The Socialist 17 January 2008

Fight for a living wage

Burslem: Support victimised postal workers

Editorial: Fight three year low pay tie-ins

Stop nuclear power plans NOW!

Is the burning of fossil fuels causing climate change?

Hain's sorry saga of sleaze

Blair's rewards from big business

Fire cuts threat to our public safety

Cardiff schools campaign grows

Nationalise Northern Rock - permanently

Growing crisis in housing

Save our post offices

Salford says: "Don't close our women's centre"

'Them and Us': news shorts

Feature: Building the shop stewards' movement

Ideas for campaigning and fundraising

Sri Lanka: New year starts with atrocities

Biggest miners' underground occupation in Polish history

Review: More Time for Politics, Diaries 2001-2007, by Tony Benn

Reinstate Karen Reissman - defend mental health services!

Derby nurses fight management attacks

Liverpool: City of Cuts

Vote Jim Cessford

Previous issues, etc

Print this issue




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/516/3652

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 17 January 2008 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

Nationalise Northern Rock - permanently

THE LABOUR government is still desperate to find a private-sector buyer for Northern Rock, despite having shored up the bank to the tune of £50 billion (over half the NHS budget).

The bank went belly-up last September after Northern Rock's board speculated in financial markets and was caught out by the US sub-prime mortgage crisis.

The media has stories about the 180,000 small shareholders (who hold 20% of the stock) worrying that their investments will become valueless if Northern Rock is nationalised. But the real scandal is the role played by hedge fund shareholders.

When Northern Rock's shares nosedived, prompting a government bailout, two hedge funds - SRM Global and RAB Capital - snapped them up (they now own 18%) intending to make a big profit when the bank was sold on.

But faced with nationalisation - which the government may be forced to resort to - they could have their fingers burned. The hedge funds now want to limit Northern Rock's board's ability to sell or buy assets and issue new shares to stop a quick sell-off.

The bank should be nationalised - not as a temporary measure as demanded by sections of the capitalist class - with no compensation to the fat-cat speculators. Small shareholders should be compensated on the basis of proven need.

In this issue

Fight for a living wage