10/10/2008

Brown Threatens Legal Action As Icelandic Banks Collapse

Britain and Iceland are in a diplomatic spat over the collapse of Reykjavik's banking system.

UK local authorities could face a loss of more than £1 billion invested in Icelandic banks which have collapsed.

Mr Brown has threatened legal action to recover the lost deposits of people who hold accounts with IceSave.

"What happened in Iceland is completely unacceptable," he told the BBC on Thursday. "I've been in touch with the Icelandic prime minister, I've said that this is effectively illegal action that they've taken."

He added: "We will take further action against the Icelandic authorities wherever that is necessary to recover the money."

Kent County Council - has £50 million deposited in troubled Landsbanki and its UK subsidiary Heritable, as well as Glitnir Bank.

Dozens more, as well as Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police Authority, have assets in the banks, estimated by the Tories to be worth in excess of £1 billion.

Prime Minister of Iceland Geir H. Haarde said: "What we have learnt from this whole exercise is that it is not wise for a small country to try to take a leading role in international banking.

"The government of Iceland is determined not to let the current financial crisis overshadow the long standing friendship between Iceland and the United Kingdom."

(CD/JM)

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