Nationalise another bank?

It now appears that HBOS numbers were far worse than predicted and that the accounts were not properly audited before the take over by Lloyds and the massive cash injections from the state. I think it’s called due diligence. I’ve posted before on what I see has criminal activity within this bank but I see little government interest in bringing these people before the courts and seizing their assets. At the last rights issue of shares they must have known that the company was in effect trading illegally or their accounts were in such a mess that they could not understand the situation which I think is in itself illegal. As directors, they have a responsibility for accurate reporting. This, clearly as not happened. So let’s see the whole of the old board arrested. Dawn raids would be ever so good publicity and help to send the clearest of messages. They are no better than drug barons. Similarly with Northern Rock and most definitely with RBS with Fred Goodwin first.

Blue badge parking.

A couple of months ago I was advised that I should apply for a blue badge for disabled parking. I never considered myself to fit into this category but after some persuasion from the wife I applied. A couple of weeks later my badge arrives. I’m thinking things must be worse than I think but anyway I now have the option of parking in designated disabled bays and other places unavailable to the general public. I’ve tried to use the badge responsibly. On my good days I park as normal and don’t use the badge on bad days though I’m really happy to use it. It has made a tremendous difference to my life and what I can now do. What I have become acutely aware of though is the number of people who park in disabled bays without displaying badges. I recently went to a major supermarket that has a whole line of bays that are not supervised. All the bays were full and I had to park some distance away and walk along the disabled line, I noticed three vehicles parked without badges. They were all large 4x4 or SUVs BMWs or the like. I was having a bad day so felt a little miffed at their thoughtless behaviour. I suppose owners of these vehicles have difficulty parking in the small spaces we have at supermarkets but surely they must realise the difficulty they may be causing some disabled person. I’ve since monitored parking in an adoc way but pretty much always it’s a vehicle of that ilk. I wonder how long before I take one of them to task over parking?
What is a little more difficult to get used to though is the walking stick which is now a permanent companion in my car and a very well used piece of kit. This getting old ain’t a lot of fun.

What is going on?

With Gordon Brown in America, Prime ministers question time yesterday was with Harriet Harman, William Haig and Vince Cable. What appeared to be happening was a whiff of political gossip that whilst Gordon was out of the country senior Labour politicians were posturing for the leader’s job. If this is true and as been going on for some time now it might explain some of what is happening over here in West Brom East and why our MP has been behaving in the way he has. After his alleged plot to get rid of Blair and his very public resignation from his first junior minister’s role he very firmly attached his allegiance to the Brown mast with a new junior ministerial role in the cabinet office. I would imagine that many of the main contenders for the leadership would be uneasy inviting him to join their team and consequently he will loose a big pile of money when the inevitable happens and Gordon goes. It can’t be long, can it? Couple this with the falling away of his political support in some of the wards and I guess he is a worried man.
But then what would I know I only live here. Ummm interesting times I think. One reporter last night even suggested Brown might go for an early election. This I think might put our MP in a state of panic because although he had a massive majority last time his and his parties support has slumped faster than the pound, stock market and share values put together. It was also suggested that Brown might quit and take a job in International Banking well that’s rich, he helps to bankrupt the world but they want him to help sort it out. It must be the big bonuses and pensions he wants. The world has gone mad. I can now confirm it.

Miner’s memorial

I’m very proud of our area. A year ago now a trust set up by local people erected a memorial to miners who had been killed in a devastating fire at Hamstead colliery 100 years ago. Today they held a wreath laying ceremony at the site. I must admit to thinking that this piece of industrial art would get vandalised and become an eyesore. Not so, not once has it been defaced or vandalised a real credit to everyone. The site, although I do not like it, is a haven for peace and reflection with two benches on grassed area at the gateway to our ward. It attracts a bit of litter from time to time but the flower beds and grass have been and are well maintained. Thousands of people pass it everyday. Sadly during the year one of the trusts leading members passed away after a long battle with cancer. I sincerely hope the site continues to be respected in the way it has.
Well done Newton ward.

Body language

I watched the informal press conference between Brown and Obama on Newsnight last night. Would have watched earlier but the West Brom match called. Anyway on a question about the economic crisis our leader is laughing and smiling away delighted that he can blame the rest of the world. When he realises that perhaps that is not quite the right approach he starts to answer in his now standard fashion. Camera turns to Barrack who is looking at Brown with an expression which could only be described as disdain. He must have been thinking where did they get this idiot?. I don’t know about you but I’m pretty fed up with (Brown) seeing him prancing around the world grinning like a Cheshire cat and laughing at this crisis. I think his advisers have told him to look more cheerful. Well it ain’t cheering me up or any of the other folk who are at rick of loosing everything because of his policies.
So Tom Watson MP perhaps this is one of those issues that are more important to West Brom East than political posturing over a St. Georges day march. Lots of folk in Newton are hurting.

St. George’s Day

Let me start by stating my strong belief that we should celebrate our patron saint on his day. Since celebrations to do this have been arranged I’ve been there at some event or other and for all the years Sandwell have organised the party in the park enjoyed the event immensely.
This year the question of the parade has become a hot political topic. There are two references I wish to make.
Firstly, the Observer newspaper Friday 20th Feb when, Tom Watson MP chose to make this the subject of his regular Westminster Observer article. He refers to a Facebook group of 2000 who want a parade. I fail to see the relevance of this comment because these folk could all be the people who allegedly caused the problems last year and subsequent council withdrawal of funding for the parade. The council are still funding the event in the park and a concert. Tom goes on to criticise Cllr. Edwards who is chair of the councils watchdog committee and published a report towards the end of last year. Knowing both these people my money is on Cllr Edwards to be more in touch with what is happening on the ground here in Sandwell. Always the “listening” MP Tom has set up a online survey at www.tel-tom.com/stgeorges Not to impressed with the survey either.
Second, the Politics show BBC1 on Sunday the march was the major local topic with input from Cllrs Rowley and Edwards both of which I thought well presented with a strong argument against the march. Stone Cross St Georges’ Day Association was also represented well. Tom Watson was interviewed when again he apparently went directly against his local council. I thought his interview was quite frankly embarrassing. I could not help thinking what is really going on here?
Local MP loosing his political support in some of his wards, Newton, Great Barr, Charlemont? sees an opportunity to get some good publicity. A bit like the campaign to save our A&E which came back and bit him in the butt. I hear today that a local business man has stumped up the £10K to finance this so it will now probably go ahead unless of course Ch. Supt. Dugmore has the final say on safety grounds and opposes the application to close the roads.
I’ll make a little prediction the march will go ahead with our MP somewhere leading it. I can’t help feeling though there are a lot more pressing issues in the constituency that his time would be better spent on. But then what would I know I only live here.

The Fred Goodwin & Co affair

This latest twist in the banking crisis epitomises to me the hypocrisy that has been Labour policy on pensions under the Brown as Chancellor years and now the Brown PM years.
As chancellor his policies lead to the failure of many pension funds and as a result he set up the Pension Protection Fund. The fund never covered all of the lost pensions and as a result many thousands of pensioners are left with severe hardship and getting worse year on year. We had a succession of mealy mouthed work and pension’s secretaries telling us how proud they are that they have lifted X thousands of the poorest out of poverty. This is the pensioner tax credit which is perhaps the most hated form of means testing ever devised with such a complicated application form you need a degree in English to understand and most pensioners have to have help filling it in. The extra money is not a lot because they consider savings of around £16K to be earning 10% and adjust accordingly.
The government have an army of snoopers who check on benefit fraud. Nothing wrong with that unless you consider what as just happened. Chief Exec of bank defrauds (because that is what it is) bank of billions by bringing the bank to its knees. Then in collaboration with his Chairman, not only cons the bank but the government into paying him an outrageous pension. Remember the crocodile tears at the select committee?
I’ve heard the sob stories about the government not being able to afford to pay pensioners a fair pension because I believe we are all being ripped of to the tune of £50 per week yet they double quick bailed out Fred’s bank and gave him enough dosh in one handout to fully fund the Pension Protection Fund. If I had attempted to defraud my bank I would quite rightly be arrested.
So what does dear Gordon do? He asks Fred ever so nicely to please give some of the money back, bugger off ses Fred nothing doing. Gordon insists that just a little sweetener will get him off the hook a couple of grand maybe. Nothing doing ses Fred go take a hike. Gordons getting a bit touchy but because he knows this is only the tip of the pension’s iceberg and just below the surface all the public sector and government pension scandals, he can’t take a chance.
So Gordon this is what you do! Stop dithering! Call in the serious fraud squad, arrest Fred and his chairman and the rest of the old RBS Northern Rock & HBOS boards. Confiscate their passports and assets because this lot are a serious threat to our national security. A typical charge might be “on suspicion of attempting to defraud a bank or pension fund or even her majesties treasury”. That ought to be enough to bang em up until such time that legislation can be brought in retrospectively to deal with them. Until the public see these people properly dealt with there will not be any confidence in government or banking. I bet a few days in Winson Green will make Fred and Co re-think their pension plans. But finally not a penny in pensions from the tax payer until every penny in bail out money has been recovered and then only after one of Gordon’s enquiries. That ought to keep the money safe for about 20yrs.