Nationalisation of Northern Rock in the event that the takeover bids fail. On 12 January 2008, the Treasury recruited Ron Sandler, the former Lloyd's of London Chief Executive, to lead Northern Rock, in the event that the bank was nationalised. If the Bank was to be temporarily nationalised, the government would manage the Bank at "arm's length" on a commercial basis, where services for savers and borrowers would not be affected and the company would continue to operate as normal. However nationalisation would also address the future of the Northern Rock Foundation. Alistair Darling rejected the possibility of the Bank being put into administration.
Nationalisation of Northern Rock was reported that Yorkshire Building Society were interested in Northern Rock. It has also been reported that Nationwide Building Society are not interested in the bank. On 31 March 2011 the Coventry Building Society expressed an interest in remutualising Northern Rock as a part of Coventry. During 2011 the government encouraged another round of bidding for the bank. By the first round deadline on 28 July Virgin Money and JC Flowers put forward their expressions of interest. In late October Virgin Money submitted their 2nd round bid for the bank. The following day NBNK rejoined the bidding process for the