Fair enough. The fundamental point I'm making is that any corporation is not terribly interested in your welfare, nor the welfare of the nation it operates unless it directly advantages their share holders or owners. The corporate character is that of a psychopath.
That means that when you hand over a service or utility to a private concern, it does not follow that it's in the national interest.
What happens is that a small group of people essentially funnel funds that would otherwise be paid to the treasury into their own pockets, and we're left with a situation where we can only argue for investment if it'll be profitable for the firms, rather than the national interest. If it's not profitable and convenient, it won't happen.



They also cut about 9000 jobs in '11 and '12. Seems that perhaps they could've held onto 9000 staff quite comfortably with profit reports like that.

They must be doing something right then I guess.

Anyway, when you find out how much money they raised let me know, ok? Not that I am doubting your reputable source in area of corporate finance that is Daily Express.

They also cut about 9000 jobs in '11 and '12, then post profits of $6.7bn. Doesn't that tell you something about the culture?
You could've been one of those 9000, bonus and shares notwithstanding. They don't care about anything except the profit.
We have different ideas about what 'doing something right' is.



Well, I'm not involved in the banking industry, so I don't read the trade press. They shored up a lot of other banks during the crisis; they also are guilty of money laundering in Mexico.
Firms, when they think they can get away with it, will clearly gouge money from a nation without a second thought.

There's an ongoing record of it in fact. MoD procurement exercises with BAE, PPI, it's happening all over. What I don't actually understand is anyone is surprised about it. Or clings onto the rather bizarre notion that a private business won't take an opportunity to maximise profit when it sees it.

My dad plays golf with the former risk director for Lloyds. He tried warning the board but was sidelined and eventually given early retirement. The banks just ignored them because they would get big bonuses which would be smaller if they were prudent. They know little about risk, or simply ignore it.


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