please empty your brain below
Estate agents may be the only people who love city bankers.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 10.12.09 - 8:08 a.m. | #

I did like the line of argument where someone said "But without the bonuses, we'll lose all the 'banking talent' to other countries".

Banking talent? What, the numpties that got us in this mess in the first place?? GOOD! Sod off!

Gordon | Homepage | 10.12.09 - 8:29 a.m. | #

Don't hate the players, DG, hate the game.

You voters elected the idiots who gave away our money.

K | 10.12.09 - 9:26 a.m. | #

"You voters elected the idiots who gave away our money."

I love this line!

What was the alternative pray tell?

Labour may be a shambles but I'll take them over people whose visceral hatred of the public realm, the common good and the level playing field is powered by an ideology that says with a straight face what DG has parodied so well here.

As a civil servant yesterdays news wasn't exactly welcome but you won't hear me mewling and puking and threatening to emigrate.

Tories? No thanks.

CF

Chingford Flanuer | 10.12.09 - 9:33 a.m. | #

@CF: My sentiments exactly.

Mat | 10.12.09 - 12:11 p.m. | #

CF - Don't you think that Sharia law would have sorted things out better

Dave | 10.12.09 - 1:03 p.m. | #

Yes, it always comes down to the indefensible argument of "we'll lose our top tier talent if we have to cut bonuses". As if the morons actually possessed any special talent! Judging by the ruins of the financial mess they've created they don't. It's all very much a private club of the self anointed, imho.

Jon | Homepage | 10.12.09 - 2:30 p.m. | #

Matter of fact, I can actually see some very valid points in what DG has been trying to say.

I'd really like to help out, and would be happy to make a donation.

Several years ago I got some shares in Bradford & Bingley - I didn't pay anything for them, they were just given to me when B&B went from being a building society to a bank.

I've still got them now: I think they're worth about a grand. But hey, they didn't cost me anything, so - if the banks are now in their 'hour of need' - I'd be happy to repay their generosity.

To the bankers of Britain, I give you my shares in B&B

RogerW | 10.12.09 - 2:58 p.m. | #

"I've still got them now: I think they're worth about a grand."

RogerW - Do you? I doubt it. And why *is* the independent valuations person taking so long to work out the compensation? June 2010 (http:/
ews.bbc.co.uk/1/mobile/business/
8300676.stm) is the latest suggestion, and a waste of another £4.8M. Given that there are 930,000 shareholders, we'd have got a fiver each if they'd just divvied up the money rather than pay PWC to 'investigate'.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 10.12.09 - 3:12 p.m. | #

Oh!

It seems I might have missed something. It appears a robbery may have occurred

Erm... it seems the banks couldn't wait for my offer and have (as good as) taken my shares in B&B, already

Hmmm. Hey, why not take the certificate too, ya b*****ds? Wrap it round a brick and shove it up your *****


Sideways

RogerW | 10.12.09 - 4:08 p.m. | #

Well, if something *had* to be done, the alternative would have been to use the same money that was given away with no strings attached to banks, to actual real people.

Some would've spent it at Woolworth's (maybe propping up the retail industry?).

Some would've put down a payment on a car (perhaps saving manufacturing jobs?).

Some would've paid off their debt (possibly enabling them to keep their home?).

Yet others would've even saved some of that money (recapitalizing the high street banks, perchance?).

Yes, the banks messed up badly, but we should be so angry at governments for enabling them with the money that is taken away from ALL of us by force, there shouldn't be any spare for the bankers.

K | 10.12.09 - 4:25 p.m. | #

Great post DG. My heart bleeds for the poor dears!

CornishCockney | 10.12.09 - 5:13 p.m. | #

OK, so on an emotional level, I have limited sympathy for people working in investment banking.

But - these people spend their money in bars, restaurants, shops (luxury or otherwise), holidays, homes etc. Cut off the money there, suddenly demand in some of these areas falls. "Boo hoo for the pretentious restaurants and shops, we don't need them anyway" you might say - but ultimately people working in these shops, and people who make the goods / supply the raw materials, may find their jobs under threat too.

Please remember that it's not just bankers who are hit by this - it's anyone who works anywhere where bankers spend their money, or anyone who supplies anywhere where bankers spend their money. The trickle-down effect impacts honest, hard-working people too.

Mark Lee | 11.12.09 - 9:33 a.m. | #











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