UK to relaunch privatisation of rescued RBS bank

The British government on Wednesday announced plans to relaunch its sale of Royal Bank Scotland, which the taxpayer rescued at the height of the financial crisis.

The announcement, contained in Britain’s annual budget, said “the government intends to recommence the privatisation of RBS” by March 2019 by selling about twothirds of its 71-percent stake for roughly £15 billion ($19.9 billion, 16.9 billion euros).

It is hoped that some £3.0 billion of shares would be sold each year up until 2023. The government decided in 2015 to start selling a chunk of its then stake of about 80 percent in RBS but the plan was carried out only partially owing to the lender’s low share price.

“RBS has made significant progress on resolving its legacy issues and refocusing on serving British businesses and consumers,” the Treasury said on Wednesday.

Royal Bank of Scotland bounced back into the black in the third quarter on lower litigation and restructuring costs. The stricken lender had been rescued with £45.5 billion of taxpayers’ cash during the global financial crisis in the world’s biggest banking bailout.

Since then, RBS has racked up several billion in conduct and litigation costs. “We welcome the recognition from the government on the progress we have made and the support for our strategy,” an RBS spokesman told AFP on Wednesday. (AFP)