Multi-million pound take-over saw former Morrisons convenience store chain in administration less than 12 months later

‘Frontman’: Mike Greene bought Morrisons Local chain with Greybull cash

The Brexit party (BP) has pitched itself as explicitly as the party of the working class, running an ad on social media that specifically tried to take that mantle from the Labour Party, claiming: “The Labour Party used to represent the working class. Now they are the party of remain.”

But Nigel Farage is well known for his wish to swap the NHS for a US-style private insurance system – and on Tuesday evening met Donald Trump just hours after Trump told media he wanted the NHS included in any trade deal.

The BP candidate in the Peterborough by-election this week also has a history at odds with the party’s working-class pitch.

According to the Telegraph, millionaire Mike Greene was the ‘frontman’ for a £25 million take-over of the Morrisons ‘M Local’ convenience store chain in 2015 – by Greybull Capital, the same firm that has just let British Steel collapse:

Like British Steel, M Local also collapsed – less than a year after the take-over, in spite of Greene saying he expected that it would be profitable within a year. The firm employed around 2,500 people. The collapse of British Steel threatens around ten times that number.

Other firms also taken over with Greybull involvement had gone into insolvency, including the Comet chain at a cost of around £70 million to the taxpayer – and around 7,000 jobs. Investors walked away with around £114 million.

The collapse was dubbed “the biggest raid in British corporate history. A government statement read:

The Secretary of State has concerns about the financial burden placed on the taxpayer caused by the collapse of companies such as Comet

SKWAWKBOX view:

The Brexit party’s claims to represent the working class are utterly bogus. Nigel Farage wants to get rid of the National Health Service, its by-election candidate is a millionaire, its chair is a property tycoon – and Nigel Farage has said that he is “running a company, not a political party”.



Anyone who cares about the working class has one option: vote Labour.

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