Jeremy Hunt will be taking a keener interest than normal when Natwest kicks off the bank reporting season next week. A repeat of the fervour that surrounded Margaret Thatcher's privatisation programme of the 1980s – including British Gas and British Telecom – looks highly unlikely, however. Natwest – or Royal Bank of Scotland as it was previously known – has lurched from crisis to crisis since taxpayers bailed it out to the tune of £45billion during the financial crisis of 2007-09. But Natwest shares continue to languish, and missteps such as the Nigel Farage debanking scandal have done little to help. So generating any enthusiasm among a weary public to take part in a share sale may prove tricky.

Source: Daily Mail February 10, 2024 13:12 UTC