Tuesday 1st February 1994

There were angry clashes in the House of Commons over the majority share (80%) sale of the last major British car manufacturer Rover to the German prestige car-maker BMW for £800 million. Labour leader John Smith criticised the deal for only satisfying BAe’s “short-term need for cash”. Politicians on both sides were concerned the plan would leave the UK as the only Group of Seven nation without control of a leading car manufacturer.