Foreign news: British Government delays Lloyds sell-down 02 June 2015 3:27PM Banking Day staff Foreign news, The British Government has confirmed that it will launch a Lloyds share sale open to retail investors in the next 12 months, the BBC reports. The Government put £20 billion into Lloyds in 2008 and ended up with 41 per cent of the bank. Its current holding is 19 per cent. The Government was due to have sold off its shareholding by June this year but has extended the sale process in the hope of realising higher returns.