Lib Dem MP Charlie Maynard has been making waves, leading the charge to flush Thames Water into Special Administration, insisting it’s the only way to drain the financial swamp left by years of mismanagement. Thames Water has been in court today, facing green-lobby-backed legal action from environmental campaigners…
Well-heeled Maynard just so happens to own a hefty stake—over 15%—in BDA Partners, an investment banking firm that specialises in water sector mergers and acquisitions. BDA proudly touts its role in helping investors siphon off UK water assets, including the UK-based Doosan Enpure to a German company, SKion Water. If Thames Water is forced into SAR, as Maynard demands, it would be fascinating to see which firms find themselves positioned to help a buyer snap it up on the cheap…
While Maynard has declared his shares in BDA in his register of interests, and there’s no suggestion of wrongdoing on his part, he’s yet to mention it directly when he’s feverishly agitating over Thames Water’s future. Murky waters…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”