LDV

The Saturday debate: What should be done about banker bonuses?

18 December 2010 , , ,

Here’s your starter for ten in our Saturday slot where we throw up an idea or thought for debate…

Bonus for bankers are in the news once again, with talks involving the banks not yet reaching any agreement and with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg keeping up the political pressure, telling the Financial Times:

“The banks should not be under any illusion this government cannot stand idly by. It is wholly untenable to have millions of people making sacrifices in their living standards, only to see the banks getting away scot-free…”

Mr Clegg, the son of a banker, said that he wanted to end tensions between the government and the City, but he added: “We can’t do that unless we have a cathartic settlement where we see visible restraint from the banks and sensitivity to the context in which they operate.”

Agree? Disagree? What would you do? Post your comments below…

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1 comments
Dr Rebekah Gronowski
Dr Rebekah Gronowski

Why should Bankers or anyone else get bonuses when the rest of the population is restricted to pay rise of only 2% or have had their Public Sector salaries (and our Pensions) frozen for two years? Bankers Bonuses should be banned! If they cannot be banned then they should be Taxed at 100% - net result, ZERO. Bankers are over-rated and get paid far too much for conning people into taking out loans which they cannot afford to repay. The Bankers are the ones who were responsible for the present recession - they got greedy by buying sub-prime mortgages and other debts from the US. Why should they be rewarded for bad choices and dodgy practices? The should be forced to take a pay cut!!! What is more, the Banks should be made to repay the Tax Payers (we who actually pay our taxes and don't squirrel them away in offshore bank accounts). They are honour-bound to repay the money which the tax payers lent them to get out of the mire! No - Bankers' Bonuses should be Banned!

C-