We Won't Pay For Their Crisis

The words on a banner at Saturday's London March before the 'G20' meeting this week.
But the reality is that we will pay, if they have their way.
That is, the poor around the world will pay for capitalism's crisis.

Already, in the thick of the crisis, they are busy planning for business as usual.

Minister's Husband Bends the Rules

The Home Secretary claimed her husband's 'adult' movies on MP's expenses. When she discovered the 'error', she paid back the cash.

A small sum of money. But a little incident that neatly sums up New Labour.

Another Minister Bends the Rules

After the Home Secretary's creative efforts with her allowances, now the Employment Minister Tony McNulty has been caught up to tricks.

The simple fact is this New Labour government has no principles. Both at an individual ministerial level, and as a government. New Labour has never had any moral high ground. The entire banking crisis in this country was allowed to happen by a government without any moral compass. Everyone except the government could seek the credit bubble was unsustainable. When the General Election comes sometime in the next year or so, New Labour will pay a heavy price.

Fred's Pension: 3

It's been getting even better for Fred.
Things are looking up.

It transpires Fred the Shred has already taken a tax-free lump sum of £2.7m as an advance on his £16.9m pension pile. Yes, that's right : tax-free.

And - cheek - the Shred has kindly offered to pay back the £2.7m , if the Tax Man will only promise not to ask for the tax still due.

His annual pension has already been revised upwards to £703,000 per year, from the £650,000 - odd we were first told.

Meanwhile the pathetic Lord Myners says it wasn't my fault.

Pigs at the trough - it's not a pleasant sight.

Councillors' Remuneration

As Bedfordshire County Council heads into oblivion, the new Central Bedfordshire Unitary Authority prepares to take over. It will supplant Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire District Councils.

It seems that the councillors on the new authority, who will be elected in June, will come out of this shake-up quite well. Basically, they're getting a pay hike.

But one of the current Mid Bedfordshire councillors, Ken Lynch, is taking a stand. He says he is planning to donate his extra remuneration to a charity. Councillor Lynch was elected as an Independent councillor, but he has joined the Green Party, and will contest his seat as a Green Party candidate.

Living in Financial Armageddon

Today the Bank of England reduced interest rates to 0.5 % and introduced 'quantitative easing'.
Outside the Bank, Ian Dixon held a placard for the NSPU, the National Savers and Pensioners Union. He was made redundant last December. He said ' There's a lot of apathy now in this country. We're living in financial Armageddon, but people just seem to be accepting it.'

Exactly so.

Politicians and media all have the same message: get back to business as usual, as soon as possible. On offer is a bit of tinkering with better financial regulation, trimming bonuses for a while till we have forgotten, a bit of sticking plaster here and there; bailing out banks with public funds for a couple of years maybe, till they can be returned to the greedy fists of the banksters. And the politicians aren't to blame: it's a 'global' problem, stupid.

Truly, the wolves have an easy prey.

Fred's Pension: Part 2

The Prime Minister, having asked Fred, politely, please may we have some of your pension back, and having got 'no' for an answer, has now said that nevertheless, Fred will not be allowed to keep his pension, and he shouldn't count on it.

We wait to see how this will be achieved.

Meanwhile, Lord Myners, who let Fred get away with it in the first place, is still in his job.