In a highly symbolic move, the Treasury’s stake fell below 50 per cent after it sold £1.2billion of shares back to the lender. The transaction came 14 years after ministers stepped in to rescue NatWest – then known as Royal Bank of Scotland. In all, £45.5billion was pumped into the bank as the Government took an 84 per cent holding. The Government’s 48 per cent stake is worth £12billion and it has recouped £15.5billion in dividends and share sales – adding up to just £27.5billion of the initial £45.5billion package. Ministers plan to sell the remaining stake in tranches between now and 2025-26.

Source: Daily Mail March 28, 2022 22:24 UTC