Politics Before Banks

During a week when the media has been wetting itself with excitement at seeing supplicant (or otherwise) MPs explaining their largely trivial expenses, bankers are now back at the trough gorging themselves, with evident impunity, on the swill of their global endeavours. Tonight Goldman Sachs anticipate a big bonus year for their big hitters.


Earlier this week the Telegraph (link here) reminded us of the unfinished business from the Lehmann Brothers affair and bankers who brought it about. Only 12 months ago the rapacity of these unconscionable denizens of dystopia brought the global community to the brink of social and political meltdown. Democratic government across the globe with an unusual collective resolve, headed off a collapse that may well be about to visit us again if left to the laughably inept money movers


On Monday I learned that Riccardo Banchetti, former European Joint Chief executive of Lehmann, one of many Lehmann claimants, was pitching for £16 million despite having only a few weeks service leading up to the collapse. He is joined by several other claimants who filed recently for a total of £70 million and included, Kieran Higgins, Georges Assi, David Bizer, Harsh Shah and Giancarlo Saronney. The two latter being UK based. I write these names because it gives me pleasure to make a small contribution to the exposure of such astonishing disregard for the wider community.


Anyone reading the Telegraph editorial to its conclusion will learn also that claims are being sold on to ambulance chasing lawyers saving the bankers time and money as they pursue further illusory pots of gold


Bertrand Russell, in a memorable essay from many years ago, ridiculed the ludicrously fragile idea of digging up gold in South Africa only to re-bury it in the vaults of the Bank of England. Now we don’t even bother with anything of such substance!


“Two Jags” Prescott will be missed set against the multi Ferrari-ied Sir Fred Goodwin who accidentally dropped £28 Billion on behalf of RBS in the greatest corporate loss in British history. Politicians may be silly enough to claim for bath plugs, duck houses and moat cleaning but at least we ordinary citizens have a say in the matter at elections and we should all remember that, next year, when we have the opportunity to exercise our greatest freedom