Could change happen?

[Scottish Business Owner]

This is probably gonna turn into a wee bit of a rant. I couldn't even think of a good title for this post but what i'm really hoping to do is get people involved in a bit of discussion and debate.

Change is really what I want to talk about in a scotland-wide perspective. I've said in a few different places that I think a double dip is about to hit Scotland that will result in more businesses going to the wall and an even greater rise in personal insolvencies etc which are already at a records high!

We've mentioned in other posts about the role of banks in what's happened and then I hear today about all the potential bonuses going to be paid out to what are effectively state owned banks :cursing:

I also look at our politicians with a lot of dismay. Small businesses getting treated like crap, businesses that will be the catalyst for any recovery when it does happen. I'll maybe come across as quite naive in some of what I say but i'd love a change politically to something quite drastically different. I'm fed up of politicians playing party politics when they should actually being doing what's best for constituents etc. I have no political allegiances but I just think it doesn't work the way it is and it needs radically changed but I feel as it there's an impossibility to that

Well that's my wee rant! Feel free to add your comments, further rants, agreements, disagreements.

 

[Gouldie0]

Hi ,

I think the problem with the banks is that no matter what the HM Treasury, the FSA or the BoE do, they'll still pass this onto the customer. Look at the recent change in overdraft charges for example, there billed as being easier to understand - more transparent. Yet in some cases, customers were paying £100's more for the same overdraft privilege they had before the whole system went belly up.

The bonuses issue is really going to hit the fan shortly, part of me wants to say 'hang a minute' as we all know that these banks have tax payers money propping them up. However, there also needs to be a radical review of wages within these organisations. More needs to be done to provide a better basic pay rather than offer £000's in bonuses.

More measures need to be enforced around executive pay and the ratios between them and the workers on the shop floor. These just seem to have been blown out of proportion over the last 10 years or so. It's also escalated the 'greedy, fat banker' attitude towards business.

Small businesses seem to be at the end of the queue, nothing has changed regarding lending and now all we here about is the impending general election. I think this government and all the other political parties north and especially south of the border have forgotten that we've only just escaped the recession. This could even change as all the information filters through for analysis.

All the banks want to do is squeeze money from the small businesses in every way possible; this in turn has a domino effect with the businesses. They start to cut their costs and it goes on and on..........

Politics has just gone out of fashion, the youth of today has no interest in voting and realistically something needs to change with the system we have in this country.

The problem is that nothing really changes, it's all spin and lies to get one over on each other. Then there’s the expenses scandal, none of the parties are free from blame and it's disgusting how they treat us the tax payer when they should be working to turn this country around.

There all (politicians / bankers) pigs with their snouts in the buckets fighting over the slops.

Rant over :blink:

 

[Former Member 1]

Change is inevitable; and not only political change but cultural change. The problem runs far deeper than just the banks...

The culture of lies is what is at the heart of the problem. Whether it’s what boils down to blackmail and bullying in order to meet some political goal. The vacuous targets and statistics that are regularly trotted out to persuade us that black is white. Or the wilful suppression of truth and promotion of disinformation...

We live in times where the day to day operation of many of the organisations that affect our life are completely and utterly corrupt. Truly, in some regards, we are amidst the Orwellian nightmare...

I’ve watched it emerge over the past 30 or so years since entering the workforce. Seen the ideal and assumptions and standards that I grew up with eroded to nothing. Illusions shattered.

I don’t know if the world was always this twisted; perhaps 30 years ago I was just naive and I’ve simply grown up...

I’ve often heard it said that there’s no point dwelling on the past because there’s nothing you can do about it. I’ve even heard from people determined to be contemptuous of it; so keen to ‘move on’ that they forget one valuable lesson. That those who learn nothing from the past are doomed to repeat its mistakes...

Change... Yes! There needs to be a strong move away from lies and deception and spin. From living in fantasy worlds where success is built on myths and legends. From flim flam smoke and mirrors back to a reality built on substance...

The pressing question is what will precipitate it? Will it be change due to political social or economic collapse? Or will it be change brought about by the recognition that those things have to be avoided at all costs?

 

[Gouldie0]

Here is more proof that businesses are being left hanging out to dry, surely banks can't continue to get away with this?

Hopefully the government / other parties will be quizzed in depth about this when they do there general election debating roadshow........ i won't hold my breath :001_unsure:.

BBC News - Bank loans refused 'to nearly 60%' of UK businesses

http://www.business-sale.com/news/a...roup-wrekin-goes-into-receivership-30895.html

and yet more news of how there passing more charges / increased apr's to the customers.

BBC News - Credit card interest rates 'at new high'

You wonder if dropping the interest rate down to 0.5% was worth it afterall, i mean many of the banks base there lending on the LIBOR anyway.

 

[Former Member 1]

You wonder if dropping the interest rate down to 0.5% was worth it afterall, i mean many of the banks base there lending on the LIBOR anyway.

Insofar as it's held down mortgage payments yes; it's saved a few folk from TOTAL wipeout... But the banks have simply shafted people by other means...

But the ratejacking that's been going on has pushed many from being 'close to the wind' to complete disaster. In many ways it's this greed (and as the profits show this is sustained greed rather than anything bourne out of necessity) is what has and continues to precipitate a credit crisis...

Not so much killed the golden goose as skinning it alive and feasting on the body as it thrashes about the table.

B.O.S. in the past month or so tried to hike my Mrs' card to 24.9%!!! Neither of us has any sort negative credit history, both with good solid incomes. Not a missed or late payment in our lives... We're even BOS mortgage customers and bank with HBOS. MBNA (Virgin) tried the same thing on me...

It's just pure unadulterated greed; nothing more, nothing less...

I'm now at the stage where out of sheer spite I'm considering investigating the enforceability of the agreements; something I'd never have considered in a million years before! Certainly; at the first opportunity we'll move the mortgage and the bank accounts...