Boots prevented Nottinghamshire Live from asking questions about a potential £5bn takeover bid as chancellor Rishi Sunak paid a visit to its HQ in Beeston. One of India’s richest men joined forces with a US private equity firm to launch a £5 billion takeover attempt of Nottinghamshire's largest private company, a decision which will impact more than 8,000 staff in the county.
Roughly 8,500 people work for Boots, which has its headquarters is based in Thane Road, Beeston, and it is now understood billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s firm Reliance Industries started working with Apollo Global Management on a potential move. A takeover of the company, which cut 300 jobs at its HQ amid the coronavirus pandemic, is high on the agenda for many staff and assurances over their livelihoods are already being sought.
The owners of Asda, who had also submitted a bid, could also be on the brink of withdrawing their bid for Boots over a disagreement on price. As such Nottinghamshire Live had planned to ask Conservative chancellor Rishi Sunak, in a one-to-one interview, how closely Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Government was keeping tabs on any such significant takeover during his visit to the HQ on Thursday, June 16.
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Mr Sunak had attended for a Q&A session whereby staff members were asking him about the economy, the cost of living crisis and more. Nottinghamshire Live had also planned to ask what assurances were being looked at.
However upon arrival any questions involving Boots were prohibited by the company and the chancellor was informed not to answer such questions. A takeover could have significant consequences on how the company runs, including at its HQ, and an answer to the question would only have been opportune, relevant and important considering the chancellor's visit.
Nottinghamshire Live believes no questions - on contemporary, relevant and significant events that may impact people's lives - should be prohibited from being asked and the publication hopes this does not happen again in the future.
