You might think that this was a story about UK businesses fighting to secure public funding for a project which will create local jobs and benefit the local economy.
Far from it. Virgin and BT are, in fact, challenging the EC finding that Birmingham’s funding contribution to the scheme did NOT amount to state aid.
Presumably, they see the prospect of a better commercial deal if the public funding is not available, but it will be interesting to see how they spin this one locally and across the EU: Birmingham has said that it will press ahead with its plans and the two bidders will spend huge amounts of money apparently trying to thwart the project….
