Resolution signalled last night that it had enough support among Bradford & Bingley (B&B) shareholders to vote down a rival financial bailout of the embattled lender.

Resolution is lobbying furiously to promote its own plan to invest in B&B. It has been rebuffed twice by the mortgage lender, which is backing a rival plan led by TPG, the American private equity group.

Clive Cowdery's investment vehicle said after the market closed yesterday that it had been approached by the owners of a quarter of B&B's existing share capital expressing support for its alternative proposal.

Legal & General, Prudential, Standard Life and Insight, which among them hold about 13 per cent of the shares and are public supporters of the Resolution plan, were joined yesterday by the owners of a further 10per cent of B&B's share capital.

Resolution also has the support of the UK Shareholders Association (UKSA), which represents some of the 900,000-strong army of the bank's individual investors, or 40 per cent of the shareholder base. Roger Lawson, a UKSA director, said that B&B should consider the Resolution plan seriously.

Resolution, advised by Lazard, is lobbying for its plan, under which the four big shareholders would inject £400 million into B&B at 72p a share. Amid worries that it is moving to take full control of the bank, it has promised to limit voting rights to 29.9 per cent.

The firm is trying to oust an agreed deal under which TPG would take a 23 per cent stake at 55p a share. A rights issue alongside this would raise £258 million. B&B shares closed up 4p at 80p.

Resolution's move came as the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the leading lobby group for investors, attacked the terms of the TPG deal.

The ABI, whose members account for about one fifth of the stock market, issued an “amber-top” alert to its members, warning them of its concerns as it described the treatment of B&B shareholders as an unacceptable breach of good boardroom practice.

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