THE proposed £11.5billion takeover of Glasgow-based ScottishPower passed a key hurdle today.

The European Commission has backed Spanish firm Iberdrola's takeover, which is likely to go ahead by late April.

The buying up of ScottishPower, which has 5.2million UK customers, will create Europe's third largest utility company.

The SNP wants an investigation into the tie-up, amid concerns tax subsidies made overseas takeovers more attractive to Spanish companies.