The banks are just making complete monkeys of them.

The Guardian is reporting that the Royal Bank of Scotland, having received £20 billion from the UK tax-payer, has set aside £1.79 billion to pay six months' worth of discretionary and other bonuses to staff in its investment banking division — the same staff who required a £5.9 billion write-down of the Bank's profits.

Vince Cable (LibDem shadow Chancellor) has noted that "The government said they would attach strict conditions on bonuses and it is very clear they are doing nothing of the kind … The banks are just making complete monkeys of them."

In my humble opinion, Vince is the best UK Chancellor we haven't had — yet. You have your opportunity to elect him at the next General Election though!

Tell them Mandy is back

"Tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you've told them" That is the received wisdom on how to give a talk on something. The same, it seems, might be said of the 'newest' member of Brown's cabinet. Having departed under a cloud twice he is now back again. According to the BBC he consulted Tony Blair before accepting a job in Gordon Brown's cabinet. Makes you wonder what he was getting instructions about … So then, is it good he's back again? One cannot deny he has done a pretty good job in Europe and that experience — on top of his past here in the UK — should stand him in good stead. Not that I believe Labour will survive this anyway. Only this morning I watched a discussion on BBC News where the (independent) commentator was saying how often Vince Cable had got things exactly right over the last two years. Isn't it such a shame he isn't given the power to actually change things and Make it Happen …