Oh DERA

The organisation formally known as DERA is being flogged. It seems that HMG do regard it as quite important.
In what appears to be an admission of blinding stupiduty the MOD now says that it will reatain a "special share". Why
"Analysts had previously suggested that the UK-based defence research-and-development company might be bought by a foreign investor and delisted by its new owners in the immediate aftermath of its expected flotation".

the problem is that,
"Although special shares, better known as 'golden shares', have previously been called into question under EU law, EU Treaty rules allow governments to keep a grip on private firms in this way if there are strong security reasons."

Now seeing as how we are tied to the EU's defence force by the Treaty metioned by North over at EU Referendum. And noting his recent revaltions about the Governments preparations to cede yet more of our indigenous defence capacity to our colleagues, in the light of the Commission Green Paper where national interest is to be defined.
What price this being regarded by the EU as not in our narrow national interest, but more in the interest of the EU, thus open to EU Competition (read Thales- who are already in joint venture with QinetiQ over a new 'Guided Weapons Tower of Excellence'.