RBS makes bad move on bonuses

As if we hadn't had already had a gut-full of what happens when the banking sector is so blinkered to the 'real' world, claims are being talked down that RBS directors are threatening to resign if they cannot pay huge bonuses to their merchant bankers.

Hmmm let's think about that for a while shall we? - these are the people who presided over a catastrophic failure of their own bank, to the extent that 70% of it is now owned by the British taxpayer.... Their failure is largely due to the mis-reading of the markets and actions of those very leaches who demand fat bonuses otherwise they are apparently going to go to other financial houses...
These directors are bawling that if they cannot pay their pariahs, they will have to step down...
OK, still thinking here... trying hard to think of a down-side to allowing the directors AND the merchant bankers to ply their slimy trade elsewhere.... trying hard to work out whether the bank will be better of or worse off without those that took the bank over the brink of collapse.... nope, can't do it - let 'em go!

It may be simplistic to say that we can completely do without an important sector of a major bank, but if they are going to try and blackmail the government and the British public, I think they will have to re-think their strategy. In essence they have to accept that along with the fact that they are still employed, comes a pay-off that means in order to remain employed, they must not be allowed to take the bank to the brink again at least until they have paid every penny back and are willing to stand or fall by their decisions like every other business that they took to the wall with them over the last eighteen months.

The UK public are not impressed by the threat of loss of so called 'talent' through lack of bonuses, not only that, but this is a Government that is willing to be punitive where it believes that public opinion is with them. Don't forget the threat of legislation to prise Sir Fred's sticky hands away from his pension... Seemingly an extremely rash threat, firmly made nonetheless.

Spin is on it's way to try and dampen the storm, it will no doubt be able to show that no such threat was forthcoming from the RBS directors - but just in case they don't get the message... really... don't try it! Do not try the patience of the British taxpayer any more, do not test the resolve of Gordon Brown. He may not be able to solve the crisis but he CAN stop the bonuses and cannot politically afford to back down on this one.