Former RBS boss Fred Goodwin might be guilty of astonishing greed, arrogance and incompetence but none are criminal offences. Well, not yet at least.
He was not even the subject of a police investigation but you and I bayed for his blood – and we got it. We needed someone to blame for our pain and shame.
This is despite the fact that no one held a gun at our heads threatening to pull the trigger if we didn’t borrow and borrow – and borrow some more.
We then appointed RBS’s saviour Stephen Hester, a brilliantly able and prudent man. Terms of pay were cast in stone.
He performed and delivered - and we reneged. He is forced to accept on moral grounds. The people have spoken again. Will he choose to remain in his post and if so for how long?
Or will such lofty positions now become the preserve for middle men of mediocrity?
Knee-jerk populist cries motivated by an unhealthy recipe of revenge, justice and jealousy may be a poisonous mix that kills off our highly-prized democratic society.
Only yesterday, the bosses of Network Rail - under huge public and political pressure - also decided to forego their bonuses.
Now you might say that overcrowding, delays and cancellations - plus sky high prices - hardly made for a deserving cause. And as it happens, I’d agree.
But the fact is, with the public mood as it is, those Network Rail chiefs never stood a chance. In this climate, when we speak, the powers-that-be sit up and pay attention.
Beware the clamour of the lynch mob.
Swift action will stop drug driving
I SUPPORT the government’s new proposed drug driving legislation.
The stats speak for themselves. In 2008, 71,449 people were convicted of drink driving in England and Wales, compared with only 1,644 people convicted of drug driving. Yet 10 per cent of all drivers between 18 and 29 admitted to driving with illegal drugs in their system.
The eight-month prison sentence dished out to John Paige – who mowed down 14-year-old Lilian Groves outside her house, when high on cannabis – was not long enough.
He was only charged with causing death by driving without due care and attention (maximum five years), as opposed to causing death by driving without due care and attention whilst unfit through drugs (maximum 14 years).
But the new legislation will only make a difference if the police follow the correct procedure quickly and properly.
In Lilian’s case why didn’t the police test Page for unfitness at the roadside? Why was no police surgeon called to the station until nine hours after Page’s arrest?
We are dependent upon the efficacy of the boys in blue.
A haircut and two close shaves
AS I was sitting in my car, about to go for my fortnightly hair-do, I felt a severe jolt from behind. I leapt out and only caught half the number plate of a S-reg Mondeo as he sped off. I phoned the police and then shaken, but not stirred, went for my appointment.
Half an hour later I was back in my car when I felt another severe jolt from behind. I leapt out and confronted the second culprit with my best choice of Anglo-Saxon.
The damage was confined to the same bumper. Haircut 100? – Afraid not, closer to 1,000.
‘Big shots’ don’t worry about size
I WAS flattered to be mentioned in Tatler’s March edition as one of the ‘ten big shot, big buck lawyers to save your bacon’. However, I couldn’t help but notice that I was the only one whose brain size was not referred to. Never mind, I have always consoled myself with the thought that size doesn’t matter.
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Nick freeman is an utter plank.
"Talent"?
Mr. Goodwin and his ilk brought about a financial meltdown of epic proportions - then stuck taxpayers, not shareholders, with the bill.
Paying that bill will take years, during which the government will have to raise more in taxes than it spends.
Not my definition of "talent". More like "crass, greedy self-dealing incompetence".
Swift action will stop drug driving
Unlikey, hard to see how they will test for it, can't see many convictions as currently impairment must be proven. How does one measure a safe limit for say cannabis where traces can show for months after use?
I SUPPORT the government’s new proposed drug driving legislation.
Of course you do lots more customers. Your site even offers advice on what to do if caught drug driving (ie call you) Funnily enough Ive mentioned this before but you never let the comment through.
There is nothing wrong with having talented people making money. The crux is having no reigns or regulators monitoring or weak laws. Considering England had to bail out Scotland favourite banks and slap down the current RBS CEO. Jealousy is not a word I would use, "Anger". This country is going through a stagnation phase, thanks to the like of these banks practice with bad investment, IE "Credit Bubble". Let also not forget that Captain Myopic (Brown) talent with his superhero sidekick Darling using the three wise monkeys of not looking at America and the money.
I don't understand why people want more and more cash when they're already wealthy when there are millions with nothing.
It is evidence of some kind of sickness.
Are you sure it's a car you drive, Mr Freeman; and not a large magnet?
Anyway, the good news: where there's blame... you know the rest.
Whilst there is a device available which the manufacturers claim can be used to detect drugs use at the roadside, it isn't yet available to police forces across the UK (waiting Home Office approval I believe), there's no legislation regarding a "safe" level as with alcohol, and the CPS will be wary of which is the first such case they take to court, as they'll want to be as sure as possible of securing a conviction when up against the likes of Freeman.
Is Nick Freeman just being ironic? When he talks about "this jealous lynch mob is hounding out all our talent" does he mean the millions of people who are getting no increase in income and many thousands who are losing their regular income while having to pay for increasing costs of food, energy, travel, etc. and suffer the consequences of massive cuts in public services, including the health service?
When he talks about "our talent" is he referring to people running companies and banks which are not supplying our needs and are over-charging for their products, like the rail companies or the energy corporations, while they reward themselves at our expense?
Does he want "our talent" running our banks for their own benefit, even to the point of destroying the nation's economy, as happened in recent years, and having to be bailed out with tax money paid by the "jealous lynch mob"? Mr Freeman should learn to distinguish between talent and greedy, irresponsible, selfishness.
Am I the only one who finds it strange that Hester is 'shamed' into forfeiting his million pound bonus,yet nobody is screaming about Carlos Tevez earning a million pounds a month for either sitting on his bum or for playing football once or twice a week. Same goes for Ferdinand,Rooney,Terry,whatever.Just think,if they were to take a 75% pay cut,the admission prices at grounds could be a great deal cheaper but nobody screams about that!! Personally,I think you have to be more astute and will contribute more to the country to be a top banker than to be in,what can be loosely described as someone in the entertainment business (ninety minutes of non-guaranteed entertainment) Classic example then I will shut up---Fabio Capello on six million per year,for what? I could do as well for 100 quid a week.
How many times have the banks bailed out either the government or individual taxpayers, a lot more than the other way rounds,
I always enjoy your childish and naieve view of the world. I suppose in this country we have the luxury of turning a blind eye if the reality is too much to handle.