“Clearly there are some issues for the Government to address with a number of stakeholders and parties, but we believe Yorkshire is well placed to work with the Government and regulators,” it said.
The mutual refused to confirm a deal is on the table for the nationalised bank, but becomes the second mutual to flag its interest after Coventry Building Society’s disclosed its interest on the 1 April.
Yorkshire has built up a portfolio of acquisitions over the past three years, announcing a merger deal with Norwich & Peterborough BS in April after the mutual was brought to its knees by the Keydata scandal and sealing deals with both Chelsea and Barnsley BS in the last three years.
There is growing evidence of political support for re-mutualisation of Northern Rock with over 100 MPs backing an Early Day Motion to return the nationalised lender to a mutual status.
Iain Cornish, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “We recognise there are obstacles that need to be overcome, but believe that returning Northern Rock to mutuality would deliver long term benefits for consumers and the financial services sector as a whole.
