Mary Creagh MP, Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to the government sell-off of its 40% Eurostar stake said:

“Eurostar is a national strategic asset that is set to grow and to return increased profits to the UK taxpayer with new routes to Geneva, Lyon, Marseille and Amsterdam. After the staggering incompetence of the Royal Mail sale fiasco, which lost taxpayers a billion pounds, people will worry that this is yet another rushed and undervalued sell-off.

"City adviser UBS made millions from Royal Mail and is advising on the Eurostar sale.  Lord Myners is still conducting his review into government privatisations after Royal Mail, and ministers should await his report before any sale begins. 

"The National Audit Office should urgently conduct a value-for-money enquiry before this sale proceeds.  We must ensure that taxpayers are not ripped off again by bungling Ministers and poor financial advice from the City.”