4 ms·

Sadly bailouts have not been a money maker in the UK thus far. They may still have been the least worst option though. "Once the opportunity cost and risks are

• smcl 10y ago
  As with the east coast rail, channel tunnel and royal mail, it's likely the UK government will divest its shares just as RBS etc turn a corner and become relatively profitable (however far in the future that may be). I'm not sure if it's due to incompetence or something more sinister, and tbh I'm not sure which would be worse.
• krona 10y ago
  > "Once the opportunity cost and risks are factored in, the schemes have represented a transfer from taxpayers to the financial sector." Why not also factor in lloyds dividend which resumed in 2015 and makes the UK government £200m a year?
  • throwaway049 10y ago
    That is a quote from the National Audit Office website, which says it is based on Treasury data to the end of the 15-16 financial year.
  • smcl 10y ago
    That's a substantial sum, but to put it in perspective remember that the bailouts themselves cost many many billions