Jon Trickett MP, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, responding to reports that the government is now placing Interserve under watch, said:

“The Government awarded Interserve numerous contracts after significant profit warnings, clearly showing us that Carillion was not an isolated case.

“The Tory Government is wedded to a dogma which would rather see public services in private hands, so their shareholders cream off the profits and the British people pick up the bill.

“Even when these huge firms are in unstable positions, the Government would rather risk our services than actually run them for the public .

“The time is up on the few profiteering at the expense of the many.”

Ends