Tesco could bid for Northern Rock - papers

The supermarket chain has shown provisional interest in buying the bank nationalised as the credit crisis brought the financial system within hours of collapse. Virgin, which tried to buy Northern Rock at the time, has expressed renewed interest and private equity funds have made inquiries. Gordon Brown is keen to prove to voters that his rescue worked. If at all possible, he wants Northern Rock returned to the private sector at a substantial profit. Ministers say that he wants desperately to avoid a Conservative government taking the credit. Whitehall officials told The Times that th...