The English Guy's Personal Blog » bank

The Bankers

richard — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:47:33 +0000

I was going to replace the letter ‘b’ with something else, but I’ll leave that to your imagination, I’m sure it’s fertile and quick-witted enough.

I can’t believe Gordon Brown bailing the banks out, again. More of our money and nothing to show for it! Surely he learnt from the last time around where injecting some £37 billion into the banking system got us nothing, they just hoarded it and used it to pay off their own debt rather than using it for loans.

This time around I hope he stipulates how it should (will) be used. And if not, how much of a bigger chunk of them we own.

And those top level bankers with their massive salaries and bonuses, I sincerely hope he stops them getting them, and curtails their wages. This is our money after all. I’ll be damned if my tax pounds are going to someone who doesn’t need it.

Another Â£37Bn

richard — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:23:55 +0000

God it almost sounds like monopoly money these days. $700 billion here, Â£37 billion there, another few hundred billion over in that bank. I mean does no-one think this is getting out of hand us rescuing all these places?

Wow, 4 people, top executives in our british banks, quit because they felt it was right. I tell you, I think what’s right is criminal investigations into their practices and into those that have been short-selling and causing this mess. They’re the ones that need to go to prison and have their money confiscated!

So What Bank?

richard — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:34:30 +0000

Since Iceland’s banks are collapsing (or have), Europe’s banks are in a mess, American banks are as useful as chocolate fireguards, where should we put our money?

Well, apparently, Canada! So says the World Economic Forum:

In the midst of a global market crisis, a survey by the World Economic Forum has proclaimed Canada to have the world’s soundest banking system.

Yay! So where do I sign up for an account online? I need to move some money…

We Now Own A Bank

richard — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:09:53 +0000

Now we own a bank. A rundown out-of-pocket bank. A bank that the government (us, the gullibly stupid taxpayers) had to bail out to the tune of God knows how many billions. And now we the government owns it:

Northern Rock is to be nationalised as a temporary measure, Chancellor Alistair Darling has said.

Neither of the two private proposals to take over the beleaguered bank offered “sufficient value for money to the taxpayer”, Mr Darling said.

The strange thing is though, that Virgin was interested in the bank. And we know that Virgin does tend to run profitable businesses. It’s not like Sir Richard would take over a losing firm, now would he? Darling didn’t think so though, and Sir Richard made his thoughts known:

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson criticised the government’s decision: “We believe we had a very strong proposal, an experienced team and one of Britain’s best brands.

“We believe nationalisation is not the right answer and that a commercial solution would have been the best way forward.”

Back to the Labour of the 1970′s. Not that I remember it mind you, but it’s frightening nonetheless.