Sir, As the Government (ie, the taxpayer) will bear the costs of unemployment when job cuts result from the takeover of Cadbury (report, Times Online, Jan 19), then it should be actively involved in any foreign takeover of a leading British company. It must ensure that short-term benefits for shareholders do not override the long-term interests of the British people.
The theoretical advantages claimed for “globalisation” remain, by and large, theory. Lord Mandelson should act now either to stop this takeover or to have cast-iron long-term guarantees that jobs will not be lost and also ensure that contributions to pension funds are protected for many years.
John Allison
Maidenhead, Berks
Sir, Distressing as the takeover of Cadbury is, it shrinks into the shadows when compared with successive governments’ response to the takeover of our energy providers. Not far behind the defence of the realm lies the duty of government to protect our energy supplies. How many more takeovers of strategically important companies have to take place before government takes action. The 19th-century laissez faire attitude died with the rescue of the banking system and measured action needs to be taken now.
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Chris Samuel
Cardiff