UAE-backed Telegraph takeover group weighs up selling stake as ban looms

Potential move by RedBird IMI follows UK government plan to ban foreign state ownership of newspapers

The United Arab Emirates-backed consortium RedBird IMI is considering a sale of its stake in the Telegraph, after its attempt to take over the media group was effectively scuppered by UK government plans to ban foreign state ownership of newspapers.

It paid £600m last November to clear the debts of the group’s owners, the Barclay family, but within days the transfer of control was put on hold amid an investigation into whether it raises public interest concerns.