I wrote earlier about former MP David Chaytor, now languishing at Her Majesty's pleasure for dishonestly obtaining £18,000 in expenses. This morning I hear that wealthy bankers will once again, despite all the rhetoric about curbing them, be taking home bonuses of up to £9 million this year.
Chaytor is disgraced, ruined, and in prison. Top bankers, who would not bother to cross the road for £18,000, will get away with their booty and live in luxury - with far more money than they can spend.
But - I hear you cry - Chaytor's £18,000 was our money, which could have gone into our schools and hospitals. And what is the bankers' money? Leave aside the fact that at least one of the major banks IS owned by the taxpayer: the banks' money comes directly from us. And it could be used for helping people like my son to buy their homes, and helping small businesses to stay afloat, instead of lining the pockets of a few already very rich men - those same very rich men whose greed and recklessness is responsible for the current orgy of destruction in public services..
If there were any real justice, they would spend far longer in prison than David Chaytor.