Quietly and with little fanfare, iconic British companies and institutions have become the latest investment targets for a powerful new type of investor - the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

Liverpool FC has been targeted by these super-rich funds which are owned and run by foreign governments including Dubai, Singapore and China. Will it join a list that already includes Barclays Bank, Travelodge, Sainsbury's and even the London Stock Exchange of companies that are in-part or fully owned by foreign states? While other countries worry about accountability and the political consequences, Gordon Brown has invited them to invest in the UK.

As the credit crunch continues to hit business finances, the Money Programme's Max Flint travels from the Mersey to the Gulf to investigate these mysterious funds. He examines where their money comes from, where it has been spent and asks should we be worried by or welcome this new investment opportunity. Show less