CITY MPs have launched a fresh bid to topple Liverpool FC’s
American owners.
They want the government to pull the plug on a crucial £350m
loan to Tom Hicks and George Gillett – by taking advantage of the
part-nationalisation of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
MPs said the move, prompted by fury over the apparent collapse
of plans for a new stadium, would force the Americans to sell.
A parliamentary motion was tabled by Walton MP Peter Kilfoyle
calling on the government to “ensure the Royal Bank of Scotland
does not renew that credit facility at the end of its current
term”.
Backed by West Derby MP Bob Wareing the motion was first tabled
last autumn.
The new attempted “coup” comes at a crucial time – because the
Liverpool loan expires on July 24.
Mr Kilfoyle said: “My concern is for the regeneration that is
planned for the area around the new stadium which will not go ahead
unless it is built.
“At the current time there are a lot of conflicting demands for
that money.
“That means it could be lost altogether because the stadium
seems to be as far away as ever.”
Mr Kilfoyle accepted RBS was still an “autonomous”
organisation.
But he added: “The government has a great deal of influence,
because it is the majority shareholder.”
Hicks and Gillett announced a one-year delay to the Stanley Park
scheme last October.
Since then, the Anfield crisis has worsened with the revelation
of a £42.6m loss, mainly because of interest payments on debts
taken on to buy the club.