'Still only one bid' to run HBOS

Mr Murphy said there was still no detail to the mystery bid

Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has stressed there was still only one firm who had bid to takeover HBOS.

His comments came after it emerged another bid for the Edinburgh-based bank may be put forward.

Mr Murphy also insisted any alternative to the plan for Lloyds TSB to takeover HBOS would be treated fairly.

He has also denied accusations that commercially sensitive information was revealed when news of the other, unnamed bidder came to light.

A European financial services company is in the early stages of considering a bid, according to the Scots entrepreneur Jim Spowart.

Shareholders have, in the past, have appointed new management and that clearly is an issue in HBOS Ross Finnie Liberal Democrat MSP

The Scottish secretary told BBC Scotland: "There's only one bid in at the moment, the Lloyds TSB bid, but I've made very clear, I think the prime minister's made very clear, there would be a level playing field if there was ever an alternative or additional bid.

"At the moment, there's no detail to this and it is important that, if there ever was an additional bid, that it could be treated and should be treated on a level playing field and I think that's what everyone would expect."

Meanwhile, the Tories, Liberal Democrats and SNP called for an investigation into how information on the alternative bid came to light, although the Scotland Office insisted Mr Murphy was not privy to the detail of any potential future bid and had merely confirmed Mr Spowart had contacted him.

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also told BBC Scotland's Politics Show that clarity from the UK Government was needed surrounding its position on HBOS.

She said: "On the one hand, we've got [UK Business Secretary] Lord Mandelson looking to steamroller through the merger. On the other hand, we're hearing signals that alternative bids will be treated seriously."

Jobs concern

Liberal Democrat MSP Ross Finnie told the programme that HBOS shareholders should consider whether it was time to back a management clear-out at the bank.

"Shareholders have, in the past, appointed new management and that clearly is an issue in HBOS because the current management, manifestly, are the management who've taken the Bank of Scotland into the condition it currently is," he said.

News of the possible alternative bid came a day after the UK Government gave Lloyds TSB's planned merger with HBOS the green light.

Linda Riordan, MP for Halifax, expressed concern that speculators from across Europe could now try and "make a killing" if HBOS share prices fell further.

She said: "Do these bidders have any concern at all about protecting jobs in Halifax and across Yorkshire? I would doubt that very much."