MoD scarred by deal with Guy Hands as it seeks private investment

The Ministry of Defence has been left scarred by its deal with financier Guy Hands as it seeks to attract further private investment into Britain's defence estate, The Times reports.

The experience has made the department wary as it pursues new partnerships with private capital. Hands, the founder of Terra Firma, took control of the MoD's defence training estate through a deal that became one of the most contested privatisations of its kind.

The MoD is now weighing how to bring in private investment without repeating what it learnt from the Hands arrangement. The episode stands as a cautionary case for a department under pressure to modernise infrastructure and tap outside funding.

The Times reports that the legacy of the deal continues to shape the MoD's approach as it courts private investors for future projects. Any new arrangements will be measured against the bruising outcome of the Hands partnership.