Rover revelations

Details of behind-the-scenes talks that led the BMW car company to sell

Rover to the union-backed Phoenix consortium, rather than rival Alchemy,

have been revealed by Manfred Schoch, trade unionist chair of the BMW

European Works Council.

He told Die Mitbestimmung that the breakthrough - giving Phoenix the

same financial support as had been offered to Alchemy - came immediately

after a meeting between Schoch, BMW chair Professor Milberg and British

union officials.