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| Darling unveils Rock rescue plan | Darling unveils Rock rescue plan |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling has outlined plans to convert Northern Rock's £25bn Bank of England loan into bonds before selling them to investors. | Chancellor Alistair Darling has outlined plans to convert Northern Rock's £25bn Bank of England loan into bonds before selling them to investors. |
| The bonds would be guaranteed by the government to speed up a private sale of the troubled lender. | The bonds would be guaranteed by the government to speed up a private sale of the troubled lender. |
| However, if a sale to a private buyer cannot be agreed, the bank will come under temporary public ownership. | However, if a sale to a private buyer cannot be agreed, the bank will come under temporary public ownership. |
| Either way, savers' money will be protected by the government. Northern Rock shares gained 42% after the news. | Either way, savers' money will be protected by the government. Northern Rock shares gained 42% after the news. |
| Shares in Northern Rock soared by 26.5 pence to 91 pence. | Shares in Northern Rock soared by 26.5 pence to 91 pence. |
| Mr Darling will make a statement to the House of Commons at 1530 GMT. | Mr Darling will make a statement to the House of Commons at 1530 GMT. |
| Taxpayer risk | Taxpayer risk |
| Bidders have until 4 February to come forward with rescue proposals based on the Treasury's plans. | Bidders have until 4 February to come forward with rescue proposals based on the Treasury's plans. |
| The scheme was proposed by investment bank Goldman Sachs and was given the green light by Prime Minister Gordon Brown over the weekend. | |
| No British government has ever provided financial help on that scale to a business Robert Peston, BBC business editor Read Robert's thoughts in full Peston interview | No British government has ever provided financial help on that scale to a business Robert Peston, BBC business editor Read Robert's thoughts in full Peston interview |
| In effect, it turns Northern Rock debt into government bonds or gilt-edged stock. | In effect, it turns Northern Rock debt into government bonds or gilt-edged stock. |
| That would mean the taxpayer would be exposed to Northern Rock for a much longer period than planned, for five years or longer, analysts said. | That would mean the taxpayer would be exposed to Northern Rock for a much longer period than planned, for five years or longer, analysts said. |
| The Treasury's plan still needs to be approved by the Financial Service Authority (FSA), and satisfy the European Commission's rules on state aid for companies. | The Treasury's plan still needs to be approved by the Financial Service Authority (FSA), and satisfy the European Commission's rules on state aid for companies. |
| A European Commission official said it would examine the financing scheme in "great detail" but did not say whether it would get the go-ahead from Brussels. | |
| 'Unprecedented' | 'Unprecedented' |
| "The scale of the financial support the Chancellor has today promised to provide to Northern Rock is breathtakingly large and without precedent," said the BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston. | "The scale of the financial support the Chancellor has today promised to provide to Northern Rock is breathtakingly large and without precedent," said the BBC's Business Editor Robert Peston. |
| "No British government has ever provided financial help on that scale to a business." | "No British government has ever provided financial help on that scale to a business." |
| This is a perfectly good solution to the Northern Rock problem Simon Maughan,analyst at MF Global Read Chancellor Alistair Darling's statement in full | This is a perfectly good solution to the Northern Rock problem Simon Maughan,analyst at MF Global Read Chancellor Alistair Darling's statement in full |
| The Conservative Treasury spokesman, Philip Hammond, told the BBC that the government's plan didn't appear to have taxpayers' interests at its heart. | The Conservative Treasury spokesman, Philip Hammond, told the BBC that the government's plan didn't appear to have taxpayers' interests at its heart. |
| "What we're seeing here is a package which is actually designed to save Gordon Brown's face by postponing the moment of reckoning," he said. | "What we're seeing here is a package which is actually designed to save Gordon Brown's face by postponing the moment of reckoning," he said. |
| "Instead of saying we've got to face up to the possible cost to the taxpayer of this loan exposure now, the government is saying let's package it all up into long-term bonds... whatever, push it to the other side of a general election." | "Instead of saying we've got to face up to the possible cost to the taxpayer of this loan exposure now, the government is saying let's package it all up into long-term bonds... whatever, push it to the other side of a general election." |
| Vince Cable, the Treasury spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said outright nationalisation would have been "much more satisfactory and more transparent than this extraordinarily complicated arrangement". | Vince Cable, the Treasury spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said outright nationalisation would have been "much more satisfactory and more transparent than this extraordinarily complicated arrangement". |
| Improved offer | Improved offer |
| Northern Rock's Bank of England loan facility will be extended until 17 March to allow time to explore the proposed financing structure with Northern Rock and interested parties. | Northern Rock's Bank of England loan facility will be extended until 17 March to allow time to explore the proposed financing structure with Northern Rock and interested parties. |
| At the moment there are three front-runners: Olivant, the consortium led by Virgin, and the Rock's current board, which is developing its own standalone plan. | |
| Reports over the weekend said that Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group was preparing to make an improved offer for the beleaguered lender. | Reports over the weekend said that Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group was preparing to make an improved offer for the beleaguered lender. |
| According to the Sunday Times, Virgin is preparing to cut its proposed stake in Northern Rock from 54% to 45%. Such a move would allow existing shareholders more room to share in any recovery in the price of Northern Rock stock. | According to the Sunday Times, Virgin is preparing to cut its proposed stake in Northern Rock from 54% to 45%. Such a move would allow existing shareholders more room to share in any recovery in the price of Northern Rock stock. |
| On Saturday, Sir Richard said he had a "winnable package" to ensure the success of his bid for Northern Rock. | On Saturday, Sir Richard said he had a "winnable package" to ensure the success of his bid for Northern Rock. |
| Public ownership | Public ownership |
| Observers have said the Treasury's funding proposals could attract other suitors, now that a buyer would not have to shoulder the whole £25bn worth of Bank of England loans. | Observers have said the Treasury's funding proposals could attract other suitors, now that a buyer would not have to shoulder the whole £25bn worth of Bank of England loans. |
| This had been a key sticking point in a private sale, with Virgin and Olivant unable to secure private loans to pay back this debt in the crisis-hit money markets. | This had been a key sticking point in a private sale, with Virgin and Olivant unable to secure private loans to pay back this debt in the crisis-hit money markets. |
| "This is a perfectly good solution to the Northern Rock problem," said Simon Maughan, an analyst at MF Global. | "This is a perfectly good solution to the Northern Rock problem," said Simon Maughan, an analyst at MF Global. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYOther businesses are not propped up by the government, why should a bank be any different?John Carter, BristolSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYOther businesses are not propped up by the government, why should a bank be any different?John Carter, BristolSend us your comments |
| Robin Ashby, head of the group representing Northern Rock's small shareholders, said he bought shares in the bank earlier as a vote of confidence that a deal could be done under the new funding arrangements. | Robin Ashby, head of the group representing Northern Rock's small shareholders, said he bought shares in the bank earlier as a vote of confidence that a deal could be done under the new funding arrangements. |
| But Northern Rock shareholders are still at risk, as the government could still decide to transfer the company into public ownership. | But Northern Rock shareholders are still at risk, as the government could still decide to transfer the company into public ownership. |
| In which case, Mr Darling said that compensation to investors would reflect "the principle that the government should not be required to compensate shareholders for value that is dependent on taxpayers' support". | In which case, Mr Darling said that compensation to investors would reflect "the principle that the government should not be required to compensate shareholders for value that is dependent on taxpayers' support". |