The company was founded in 1884 as the London and Tilbury Lighterage Company Limited and retained the Tilbury name until 2001. From 1991 it was known as Tilbury Douglas following a merger with RM Douglas, but in 2001 rebranded as Interserve plc. On 4 May 2012 the company acquired "Welfare-to-work" provider Business Employment Services Training (BEST), a UK provider of training and development for job-seekers and employers.
Operating in many sectors, like Carillion another government contractor that ran into financial trouble, the Company is struggling with £500m of debt.
The Labour party leadership - ideologically opposed to the role of private companies in the provision of public services - has insisted that no new government contracts should be given to the company while it is in its current state.
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