On Friday the Office of Fair Trading published the first national stocktaking report of the ownership of the UK infrastructure assets. Almost two-fifths of our energy, water, transport & communications are owned by foreigners.
The OFT has concluded that, because of healthy competition in the market, this has not led to poorer service for UK consumers. So that's all right then.
But then on Monday came the news that even our money may be taken over – not just by any old foreigners but by the French. De La Rue (whose founder came from Guernsey) has received a takeover offer, now confirmed to be from Oberthur Technologies.
