Britain’s busiest port will not be sold off to big business, the Coalition Government has decided. Dover is no longer up for grabs. The port’s Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke reportedly said: “After three years of tireless campaigning against the previous Government’s decision to sell off the port, the Government has today decided that the port will not be privatised.

“The Port of Dover is the gateway to our nation and should be forever England. The very that the port should be sold off was desperate and out of touch. Think of the port and the white cliffs and you think of freedom and victory over tyranny.

“This magnificent victory is the best Christmas present the people of Dover could have. It shows what united communities can achieve. This decision marks the first stage in the plan to make Dover a community run People’s Port and a jewel in the crown of the nation once more.”

P&O ferrries sposkesman Chris Laming said: “Philisophically, we have been more drawn to the People’s Port proposal because it would offer us a greater say in the future running of the port.”

Dover Harbour Board has been pressing for a straight privatisation but came up against a rival scheme in 2010 for a community-based sell-off from the People’s Port.

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