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MPs bid to topple Liverpool FC owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett


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.

THE ECHO

They should topple Peter Johnson and gain power at Tranmere for £3.80

Is that how much Sunday lunch costs there now?