FORMER PM Margaret Thatcher’s “Tell Sid” ad campaign is being revived amid plans to sell government shares in NatWest to the public.
The old adverts were used in 1986 when the Government floated British Gas on the stock market and ordinary Brits were encouraged to buy.
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Now, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said “it’s time to get Sid investing again”, as he announced he would explore options over the next year for a bank retail share offer.
The Government still owns an almost 40 per cent stake in NatWest, after bailing out Royal Bank of Scotland, as it was then known, in the 2008 financial crisis.
Since then it has sold down its stake but bankers said yesterday any attempt to encourage private investors would mean the bank’s shares would have to be offloaded at a hefty discount of as much as 10 per cent.
NatWest shares have fallen in value by a quarter so far this year and suffered a hefty drop following the debanking debacle surrounding Nigel Farage’s Coutts account.
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The government played a role in ousting former NatWest boss Alison Rose after saying it had concerns about her staying in charge.
Rose was fired from the bank after admitting leaking a false story about the Brexiteer’s Coutts account to the BBC.
Rishi Sunak then kicked her off his council of business leaders, as well as from a key role advising the Government on Net Zero.
She was also fired from leading the Rose Review into women in business.
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But Mr Farage said the NatWest board “should all go” after they said Dame Alison had their “full support” just hours before forcing her out.
