The Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, has called for the merger of Lloyds TSB and HBOS to be frozen arguing the deal is no longer necessary after the Government's intervention to help banks last week.
Salmond says he is worried about the impact the move could have on jobs and consumer choice in Scotland. Speaking at the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) conference, he said: "If the future of HBOS has indeed been secured then are we not entitled to ensure that any merger is in the public interest - that the public won't end up paying for the merger, paying for lost jobs and then paying for the restriction of competition.” Salmond blames the Prime Minister for the economic crisis now facing all parts of the UK, and says Scotland’s oldest bank should not be cast aside because of Labour’s...
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