Common Endeavour » Sir Fred Goodwin

Morning roundup, Thursday 12th March 2009

Sadie Smith — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:17:03 +0000

Shred Fred's knighthood, says Martin Salter MP;
Child protection services aren't up to scratch, claims Lord Laming. Still, over-worked social workers make such lovely media scapegoats to the extent that when some murderous scroate kills his/her toddler, the media only vaguely hint at the perpetrators' guilt, leaving everyone with the distinct impression that children's services operate a Pied Piper policy on protecting our young. Of course, laws could be passed to make information sharing on vulnerable kids easier and help social workers do a difficult job in slightly easier circumstances, but then the Porter-warriors in the commuter belt would screech something about Nazi Germany until the plaintive cries of those with a proper job involving protecting children are totally drowned out in a slurry of Chakrabarti bullshit. Rant over;

Tom Harris comments on the Militant Atheists ongoing campaign to ensure they win the Sanctimony Hat 2009;
Tim Ireland has the latest on the "journalist" Paula Murray's scoop on the Facebook pages of the Dunblane survivors;
... and Donal Blaney reports on the latest "no" to Europe campaign which seems to be saying that if we sink deeper into the EU, then lots of hotties will start taking their clothes off. Kewl. Where do I sign?

Andreas Paterson — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:22:55 +0000

This week your correspondent has come across the wonderful term pessimism porn, it's available free and it's all over the internet.

Let's start out with a little banker bashing, first focus of our ire is former RBS chief Sir Fred Goodwin. Fred the shred, ruthless costcutter failed to live up to his reputation when it came to private jets, global ambassadors or his own pension pot. Target number two is Sir James Crosby, the useless man from HBOS. National Express is considering him as their new Chairman, your correspondent despairs at the state of modern capitalism.

Internationally, it's not looking good in a lot of places Russia has problems and looks like it might be defaulting on it's debts. Japan is bad, China has it's own problems too, the nationans of Asia also seem to be putting a $120bn war chest together to fight off the speculating hordes.
Closer to home the EU is asking the IMF for more cash to help out Eastern Europe, Ireland's banking system has been bailed out but isn't out of the woods yet. This chap reckons that the lack of a unified debt market could leave the Euro open to sinister manipulations by China.
There is a god, and his name is Barack Obama.
The mystery vehicle manufacturer turned out to be van maker LDV, a little light shone on the situation revealed a connection to none other than Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska. From the looks of things no loan is forthcoming so LDV looks to be another remnant British Leyland consigned to the history books.
100% mortgages also appear to be headed for the history books, the words "stable door","horse" and "bolted" come to mind. In other mortgage new Northern Rock appears to be reviving it's mortgage lending and Lloyds also appears to have made a pledge on lending, all good although your correspondent still reckons houses are overpriced.
Downwards has been the direction of FTSE, the Dow also hit a twelve year low, pound is slightly down on last week.

And finally, since Sadie was otherwise indisposed this morning, let me wish a Happy Birthday to the blog of Sandwell Labour Councillor Bob Piper.

Sadie Smith — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:05:09 +0000

RBS reports record losses of £24.1bn. There's more here and here, but it will all be alright as long as Sir Fred Goodwin's gives up his mahoosive pension. This would fill up that hole AND leave enough for trebles all round for the taxpayer - except he won't, will he? Selfish bastard. This is certainly the impression you would have got had you, like me, listened to the searing economic analysis that makes the Today programme the agenda-setter it is;

Lord Ashcroft's missus finds she's got a bit of loose change to the tune of quarter of a million quid knocking around in her Chanel purse and gives it to that most noble cause: the Tories. Would it pass the Daily Mail test, d'you think?;
Speaking of the Mail, that noble organ of record has a horrifying story about how The Paedophiles are watching YOUR KIDS through their internet screens;
Phil Cowley's predictably excited about the Heathrow Ten Minute Rule Bill vote, and gives his view here. Different strokes, eh?
Cath Elliott's a bit perplexed by Amnesty's latest poster campaign. So are we, come to think of it;
The Liberal Conspiracy has A Dummies Guide to the Cabinet and How it Works;
... and Paulie comes up with the ultimate definition of a liberal: a Tory who's been arrested. Class.