Bad Week: Bankers, Amanda Knox, MPs, Tiger Woods
by Greg McDonald
It was – at last – a taxing week for the bankers, as Chancellor Alistair Darling introduced a 50% super tax on bonuses to “claw back” taxpayers’ money. Indeed, the Pre-Budget Report might almost have cheered credit-crunched Christmas shoppers had it not also upped National Insurance and laid the grounds for 20% cuts in services to come after the next election.
It was a bad week for Amanda Knox as the American student was found guilty of the killing of British flatmate Meredith Kercher in an Italian murder trial which had long captured the attention of the world’s media. Even Knox’s emotional closing statement thanking her judges and prosecutors had not been enough to convince the court of her innocence and she will serve 24 years.
It was yet another dreadful week for MPs, as further expenses revelations hammered one more nail into the coffin of the Duckhouse Parliament’s reputation. Star of the show this time around was Quentin Davies, destined to be forever remembered as the Labour minister who spent £20,000 repairing his bell tower, although neither Gordon Brown or David Cameron were spared further embarrassment.
Finally, it was a second consecutive bogey of a week – and on your official GWBW score card that’s marked down as a double bogey – for Tiger Woods. Revelations of affairs – four? six? nine?! – just kept on coming, and while most husbands have had some difficult moments with their mothers-in-law, seeing her rushed to hospital as you’re linked to a porn star can’t be much fun. Here’s Tiger in happier times.
It was – at last – a taxing week for the bankers, as Chancellor Alistair Darling introduced a 50% super tax on bonuses to “claw back” taxpayers’ money. Indeed, the Pre-Budget Report might almost have cheered credit-crunched Christmas shoppers had it not also upped National Insurance and laid the grounds for 20% cuts in services to come after the next election.
It was yet another dreadful week for MPs, as further expenses revelations hammered one more nail into the coffin of the Duckhouse Parliament’s reputation. Star of the show this time around was Quentin Davies, destined to be forever remembered as the Labour minister who spent £20,000 repairing his bell tower, although neither Gordon Brown or David Cameron were spared further embarrassment.
Finally, it was a second consecutive bogey of a week – and on your official GWBW score card that’s marked down as a double bogey – for Tiger Woods. Revelations of affairs – four? six? nine?! – just kept on coming, and while most husbands have had some difficult moments with their mothers-in-law, seeing her rushed to hospital as you’re linked to a porn star can’t be much fun. Here’s Tiger in happier times.
Pointless attempting to tax these greedy crooks, they should all be in jail. I thought pyramid scams were supposed to be illegal, and so far as I can see, the UK 'banking system' (in fact, the whole world 'economy') meets every criterion required to be a pyramid scam ... those in control (bankers) take masses of money from those lower down the pyramid (the UK/world population) ... those in control (bankers) pocket vast amounts of the money taken in (bonuses) ... eventually, the whole thing runs out of steam and collapses (recession, anyone?). The only difference I can see with this scam is that politicians then throw even more of OUR money at the crooks who were responsible ... presumably because they're excreting themselves that everyone might wake up and realise what a con the whole thing is!
Posted by: Astaroth | 16 December 2009 at 02:05
I'm probably alone in having sympathy for the banks. Because Brown gave them a tax payer (i.e. us) backed guarantee with Brown's flawed regulation (non) system. Who would'nt rip after profits in those circumstances? Now its come to grief, who is feeling the pain - the banks, Brown or us?
Posted by: Peter Angry | 14 December 2009 at 00:27
You begin to realise why Speaker Martin gave up & joined in the "Get Rich Quick
Club" of MPs....just in the same ways our Banking Heroes
blew all our Funds away (but
still get the BONUSES ??)How does that work ??? I mean I can lose a few billions here & there,pack it up in fake derivatives that nobody in the banks check
out and borrow £150billion in Tax Payers` Bailout and still
get paid Bonuses ??Incredible!
Is it any wonder no more houses can be built & 80% of us have to pay rent ?? How can our unemployed kids get on
with their lives & careers ?
Posted by: Trader | 13 December 2009 at 19:56
Don't take any notice of the tax on bankers bonuses. 50% on any over £25000. Yes ,that's £25000 or to you or me over a years wages. Politicians and Bankers, they are all in it for themselves and screw us all our lives. Who can afford to work under Labour. It's not worth it anymore.You either have to be on benefits or an immigrant to gain from labour.
Posted by: bob | 12 December 2009 at 21:02
Council Tax going up another
5% in April...way ahead of Inflation.We should all be getting a Rebate !! All those
single underage mothers should be sent back into the care of their Parents..new
lessons in RESPONSIBILITY need
to be learnt in this Society !That should save many millions.
Posted by: Jameson | 12 December 2009 at 19:38
Mr Darling..try working this out at home...What is 50% of nothing? The banks will increase the salaries & not pay bonuses! So who is an idiot, you, the banks or us!
Posted by: Peter Angry | 12 December 2009 at 13:34