Lobbydoggies bite bank bosses

A couple of weeks back Lobbydog posted on the attack on Fred Goodwin’s house.

The post went on to rack up a massive 51 comments – the most ever on this blog – and I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at what readers said.

Of the comments 92% were in support of Bank Bosses Are Criminals’ action and 4% (two comments) were against.

Of the comments that supported the action 61% displayed high levels of anger and vitriol suggesting the depth of feeling i.e. one called for his execution.

They included:

If I rob an off license - I go to Jail. This guy robs millions off of us - And he gets government protection.
I agree with what the BBCA did - But they should have burnt his house down to the ground

And the revolutionary longing…

I couldn’t care less about his wife and kids she and they know what this scumbag has done they deserve all they get just like the French royal family in 1798, cut there heads off.

But many were also measured and thoughtful...

If it is proven they acted irresponsibly and in a manner that would lead to loss of share value or jobs. Then he and his board are all liable for prosecution. If proven, they are indeed criminals.

And the positively constructive…

Fred and his ilk didn't break the law. What they have done is perfectly legal. So change the law.

Against the action, but no less anger ridden was…

Has the whole world gone completely insane?!?!? What the hell is vandalism of his property going to achieve? ...Goodwin's is being paid by RBS for christ's sake, you morons are just aggrevating a situation that is far from ideal as it is. Just stop pointing the finger and get over it.

Bearing in mind this was before the G20, the post seemed to become a rally point for people going on the demonstration.

I love the way the web works like that. Plus you never know who's reading the blog at any given time, so very interesting to get snap shot.

Tamils stop me getting coffee - disrupting my entire life

When surrounded by demonstrations all day, every day a person tends to become numb to protests.

But I have to hand it to the Tamils, they are making themselves heard.

They arrived outside Parliament at about lunchtime yesterday and sat in the road in what was an illegal protest – it has never been violent, they just sat there and sang songs.

The police closed off the road and Westminster tube station when I was trying to go home last night. One chap also jumped into the Thames.

Then I was amazed to find them still there today, and slightly irritated that I couldn’t get to my usual café for a caffeine hit.

But for their efforts I thought they deserved a mention, though I’m not sure what they hope to achieve.

Even if the British Government could do anything to bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka I doubt they would.

UPDATE: I think the police are now trying to move them by force, but they're refusing. A number are being led away in cuffs.

8.44 am: With a bit of argy-bargy the police have now pushed them off Westminster Bridge and on to Parliament Square where they began.

Hoon's constituents speak out

"There are people here who are struggling to pay their mortgages. To know that politicians are doing this, when people in the real world are working hard and not knowing if they are going to lose their jobs, I think is wrong."

Fiona Asbury, Ashfield voter.

EXPENSES: The 7 principles of public life

Harriet Harman told Lobbydog today he would have to wait for the Christopher Kelly review for any changes in the expenses system.

So I just thought I’d remind Sir Chris of his Standards in Public Life Committee's first report.

It sets out the seven principles of public life: Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Selflessness: Putting other people’s interests before your own. That means taxpayers too.

Integrity: Sticking to high moral principles. Not claiming on parliamentary allowances for watching Pleasure Island starring Long Dong Silver.

Objectivity: Means addressing the question in a fair way, not avoiding it.

Accountability: People taking responsibility for their actions, not implying that they were only following rules – as if they didn’t have a choice.

Openness: Not fighting a High Court battle to prevent the release of receipts claimed on expenses.

Honesty: More than just telling the truth when asked. It is about being open and forward in your truthfulness.

Leadership: Being brave enough to high-light publicly what everyone knows to be wrong and then make a strong decision to put it right. Doing so in a determined way, without relying on bureaucratic justification.

Hoon-gate is like a little worm eating my brain

I can’t get this Hoon business out of my head. Everything reminds of it.

I write to you, dear readers, from the home of my sister-in-law in Nottingham where I am marooned.

I missed the train to London I was meant to be getting and there wasn’t another for an hour and that service would’ve taken over three hours – I could fly to Portugal in that time.

Plus it would mean buying an entirely new ticket at an inflated price, when the original ticket was already ridiculous.

I can’t use the old ticket, or even pay the difference – it has to be a whole new ticket. What cretin made that rule up?

The trains from Nottingham to London are always shocking on Sunday because of “track improvements” that seem to have been going on for ever.

Who can I be angry at for that little issue – who other than Mr Hoon our Transport Secretary.

As a result of all this I have to catch a lift with my brother-in-law to London at 4am in the morning for work tomorrow.

He is a normal person who, when he needs to get to the capital for work, drives there.

He doesn’t buy another house in London and kit it out using taxpayers’ cash.

HOON - So much p*ss has been taken, there isn't any left

Geoff “three homes” Hoon ripped another toe-nail out of the torture victim that is MPs’ integrity today.

You’ve all read the story – the Notts MP lived rent free for three-and-a half years in Admiralty House while earning money from his main home in London by renting it to a private tenant.

At the same time he claimed £70,000 in allowances on his “constituency” home in Derbyshire – even though his Ashfield constituency is in Notts.

I could only get hold of someone close to the former Defence
Secretary today – “three homes” is probably busy mowing three lawns, cooking three Sunday roasts or taking three dogs for walks.

The spokeswoman inevitably said no rules had been broken and that Hoon would welcome the results of the review into expenses.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve said this has to stop – screw the review I say. Scrap second home allowances now.

Build a block of rooms near Westminster where all MPs sleep, give them tokens so they can get a bus from there to Parliament.

Let those who live a specified long way away claim for travel to get home when PArliament isn't sitting and then provide each MP with a lump sum to run their office – job done.

Blogs take expenses initiative

Guido is having a whip around to pay for the computer disks which hold scans of MPs expense-claim receipts.

He’s characteristically critical that papers have yet to buy them and print them.

Guido Writes: The Sun (as well as The Times) has been offered the disks, but are worried about handling “stolen” goods.

Sources at the Mail on Sunday and News of the World say that have not been offered the scans and would in any case have to consider legal obstacles.

Meanwhile in a comment Scary Biscuits makes the point: Are you sure these disks actually exist? Why haven’t they been offered to MoS or the the Screws?

Why are Murdoch journos, famous for reproducing government spin, saying they have been offered them? Why is a story of a mole hunt replacing the real story of corruptions by MPs?

I certainly wouldn’t put it past the spin machine to have engineered the mole story – at the beginning it really did feel like a distraction.

Either way the receipts are going to be released for free to everyone in a few months anyway.

Anyone looking to buy them up beforehand, and if I had the money to pay for them I would, is involved in a traditional hack fight for the exclusive and nothing more.

Global recovery plan on unprecedented scale...

…but no fiscal stimulus of course.

What we have is a promise to make over a trillion dollars "available" to the world economy if nations can meet criteria of the G20 deal.

There'll be an extra $500bn in funding available to the IMF, plus an increase to $250bn of the money available to developing countries, and $250bn set aside for trade assistance.

A lot of what happens next will depend on whether countries play ball instead of being protectionist.

Alistair Darling was just asked in the House how he can be optimistic protectionism won't happen now, when trade talks failed even in the good times.

His answer was that one's only real option is to be optimistic.

Bloggers miss start of G20, maybe they overslept?

Tom Watson is blogging from the "bloggers' tent" at the G20 today:

"There’s only one problem. I can’t see any fellow bloggers. In fact, there must be 1000 seats and network feeds in this room and so far only 50 seats are occupied."

Lobbydog is there in spirit Tom.

I'm stuck in Westminster, but I may walk over and have a look at the protests later. Loudspeaker at the ready.

UPDATE: Good blog post from PB.

MPs check expenses receipts

MPs have been sent a letter notifying them to start checking receipts which have now been scanned into the House of Commons computer system.

The Commons authority has been beavering away since last year scanning all receipts that MPs have claimed on their allowances, in preparation for their eventual publication.

Members now have the chance to log-on to the system to make sure everything is there and to request that any details are removed.

I’m assured they can’t simply ‘black-out’ parts of receipts willy-nilly. If they want something removed they have to fill out a form and the request is considered by the authority.

I can’t wait to get my hands on them this Autumn.

Michelle Obama and Sam Cam bond

Samantha Cameron has given Michelle Obama a bracelet designed by Lara Bonhinc.

The designer – who is very "in" I'm told – used to call herself Lara Boeing 747. These trendy types eh?

However, she had to revert to her real name after being threatened by the real Boeing.

Her creations include a choker with braille writing on it, so it can't be read by blind people, and silver earphones that you can't hear anything through – in other words, pretty but not much use.

Still, Sam has at least found something in common with Michelle – the First Lady also gave her a bracelet as a present.

They're trying to kick off!

A few feisty protestors are trying to start fights with police at the G20 marches.

Things have been thrown and there are stories of bloody protestors walking around.

It would be odd if there weren't a few clashes to be honest, but the general feeling is not a scary one.

Nonetheless it's probably going to get worse tonight and tomorrow.

Haven’t seen any ‘BANK BOSSES ARE CRIMINALS’ banners yet.

Obama and Brown

Brown will be pleased with the press conference that ended ten minutes ago.

Obama backed him on pretty much all his key messages – global problem/solution, fiscal stimulus etc.

In fact, he came up with the sound-bite Brown has been looking for on public spending: “Don’t short change the future because of fear in the present.”

The leaders’ show of unity means Cameron, who’s also meeting Obama, will concede the publicity battle today.

Marked was the ease at which Obama switched from the serious business of state to small talk.

He mentioned talking to Brown’s kids about dinosaurs in between discussions about Iraq and Afghanistan as if he was chatting in someone’s kitchen.

Brown’s attempt a little later, a comment about exercise and treadmills, was at least not as flat as the “tennis” embarrassment in the White House.

Obama injured in Downing Street

News that a paramedic had to treat President Obama in Downing Street is trickling out this morning.

Mr Obama needed attention after he "fell out of bed" spraining his wrist.

Those close to Gordon Brown had feared the incident may disrupt well laid plans for a photo-shoot of the two leaders shaking hands later today.

But when asked by the paramedic whether he could move his hand Mr Obama replied "yes I can". April fools.