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Thames Water investors offer ‘golden share’ in bid to head off nationalisation
UK NewsBusiness•July 21, 2026 at 12:55 PMNational

Thames Water investors offer ‘golden share’ in bid to head off nationalisation

By Mark Sweney•The Guardian - UK News

Move would give government veto over big decisions and hostile takeovers, after Burnham’s call for greater public controlNils Pratley: Burnham has forced greater clarity at Thames Water. Now he must chooseThe group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have offered the government a “golden share” in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Andy Burnham not to nationalise Britain’s biggest water company.London & Valley Water (L&VW), a consortium of 100 institutional investors that hold £17bn of the company’s £21bn debt, said it recognised the new prime minister wanted greater public control and to strengthen the accountability of the water company. Continue reading...

Move would give government veto over big decisions and hostile takeovers, after Burnham’s call for greater public control

The group of investors pursuing a rescue bid for Thames Water have offered the government a “golden share” in a last-ditch attempt to persuade Andy Burnham not to nationalise Britain’s biggest water company.

London & Valley Water (L&VW), a consortium of 100 institutional investors that hold £17bn of the company’s £21bn debt, said it recognised the new prime minister wanted greater public control and to strengthen the accountability of the water company.

Continue reading...