What's the Deal?
Here's a list of names published in The Independent newspaper the other day - along with the following impertinent, but very relevant question:
"So, why is no one calling for these bankers to lose their gongs?"
Now to my mind there's no answer to the newspaper's 'killer' question.
But if there is, I'd like to hear what various folks - including David Cameron and Ed Miliband - have to say.
Because as far as I can see - most of these people, if not all - were honoured, en-nobled or knighted by the last Labour government.
1. Sir Victor Blank
Knighted 1999. Chairman of Lloyds during the HBOS merger, just before it was bailed out. Faces US legal action
2. Lord Stevenson of Coddenham
Ennobled 1999. Resigned as HBOS chairman after the Lloyds merger. Has apologised for bank's near-collapse
3. Sir James Crosby
Knighted 2006. Resigned from FSA in 2009 after allegations he ignored a whistleblower while head of HBOS
4. Sir Tom McKillop
Knighted 2002. RBS chairman in Goodwin's reign. Later admitted he had no banking qualifications
5. Sir Philip Hampton
Knighted 2007. Chairman of RBS since 2009. Presided over rows about chief exec Stephen Hester's bonuses
6. Sir George Mathewson
Knighted 1999. RBS group chief exec 1992-2001, chairman to 2006, then a £75,000-a-year consultant to the bank
7. Sir John Bond
Knighted 1999. HSBC Holdings chairman until 2006. Vodafone row over £1.25bn tax bill blotted his copybook
8. Helen Weird, CBE
Honoured 2008. Lloyds TSB finance director was awarded £875,000 bonus while retail executive director
9. Philip Williamson, CBE
Honoured 2008. Ex-Nationwide chief exec got £1.6m on retiring, plus £605,000 salary and £374,000 bonus
10. Lindsay Tomlinson, OBE
Honoured 2005. The ex-Barclays executive sold £5.5m-worth of bonus-scheme shares leaving him with £25m
