Heartland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barclays#2 ... nipulation

So. Any thoughts?

They're all in on it surely.
I can't for one second believe this was only Barclays
I also believe that those responsible should be jailed really. It's fraud. Plain & simple.
& now there'll be a public enquiry, which will prolly lead nowhere over a period of four years, by which time, everyone will have forgotten about it.
Took Diamond a while to quit though

Did anyone see Baldrick's rant? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18642323

Another endorsement of the collective name for bankers.

"Wunch"

Pista wrote:I also believe that those responsible should be jailed really. It's fraud. Plain & simple.

Funny isn't it. If you're a banker you can rob the entire country blind, to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds, and all that happens is you have to resign (presumably with a healthy pay-off).

If you're an urban youth who nicks a bottle of pop in a riot, you're banged up for a few months.

Justice?

No justice at all.
I recently read a story about a woman who has a court injunction that threatens her with jail if she walks her dogs too slowly. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... lowly.html
& yet, the Barclay's guys have slipped away more or less unscathed.

I personally think that banking bosses are so high up in the echelons of power, that the elected puppets are scared to muddy the water lest it opens a Pandora's box that they'd rather keep locked & stuffed under the bed.
The bank of England must have seen what was going on. They are supposed to be the central bank aren't they?
Are we supposed to accept they didn't notice any impropriety at all?
As for the other "high street" banks, well, in every industry I've been in contact with, companies keep a close eye on the competition's activities.
I'd hazard a guess (given the vast sums of cash involved) that banks do the same.
Or were they all too consumed by securing massive bonuses & hitting the 19th hole to notice?

Fraud is a crime isn't it? At least it always used to be.

That's just another proof/evidence that any brach of industry leaves without careful and constant control and securing minimum standard legislation, procecting weakenst part, combined with one of basic human instinct - greed will end like this.
I mean, fact that this situation have seen the light of day is a proof that there is some control, but 1) it took years to find this conspiracy 2) fine it ridicolous small to income that this consiracy brought for banks.

Don't forget that this fine will be paid or using money that they get from Government- You- or from money that people paid on their account or both.

I'm hoping that we'll finally see a backlash. Excessive deregulation, started under Thatcher and continued under governments of both parties since, has resulted in this situation where we're now treated with open scorn by the corporations and their Westminster lackeys.

Democracy is supposed to work for the benefit of all of society not just the privileged few. These cnuts have bled this country dry and now that the bill has come in they expect us to pay for it with swingeing cuts.

People are getting angry, and ff the government are not careful, the whole country might burn.

Baisicaly role of any government is to prevent, minimise, conflicts between group of few nad masses. At least that's what they should do.

It's no more sickening than anything else, to be honest.
Is it worse than the billion pound bailouts with absolutely no conditions attached both here and in the States/Europe?
Is it worse than the Bank of England driving the unemployed and low-paid into penury by fiddling interest rates simply to delay a house-price crash that the market really needs?
Is it worse than the last government actively encouraging unsustainable asset bubbles and public spending?

From what I gather the LIBOR tampering was to make the banks appear more credit-worthy when it was all beginning to unravel in 08, so I think the BoE turned a blind eye, but they were pretty much staring into the abyss.

markfiend wrote: People are getting angry, and ff the government are not careful, the whole country might burn.

The Tories will point out it was entirely under Labour's watch, which is quite true. I'm hoping Labour realise what a liability Ed Balls is and replace him, maybe with Alistair Darling if he's successful in seeing off Salmond (who's also up to his eyeballs in RBS' stew). I want Gidiot away from any position of responsibility, but there is no earthly way I could vote for Balls as Chancellor.