Bankers Pension Row Rumbles On

Six months after being told that the politicians were going to crack down on greedy bankers, the public realise that these same politicians stood by as the bankers helped themselves to more money.

We are gradually finding out that even in failure these superstars of the banking crash were being handed million of £s at the very time the politicians were claiming to be cracking down on city salaries and bonuses. Fred Goodwin of RBS wasn't alone in being heaped with largesse. Fred's £8 million - up to £16 million according to some analysts - pension uplift may be the biggest pension top-up. But out there several more high profile bankers were rewarded with multi-million £ pension pot contributions just to give up their jobs. Jobs that had been done so well that their organisations were driven to record levels of bankruptcy.

The latest character to come to public attention is Peter Cummings. He was head of corporate lending at HBOS. Seems poor Mr. Cummings has to get buy on a pension pot £5.9 million. Now according to reports, much of this pension pot was agreed as a condition of his departure. Who were the idiots that dreamt up such huge rewards for such atrocious performance? Seems the politicians and their civil servants were blinded by the city slickers.

HBOS in Rights Cash Call for £4 Billion

The Halifax Bank of Scotland is going to investors for £4 billion in new money. The bank has announced a two for five issue of new shares at a 45% discount to yesterday's (28th April) closing price. HBOS, through its Halifax subsidiary, is Britain's biggest mortgage lender. The rights issue follows last week's £12 billion issue from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Despite increased market liquidity provided by the Bank of England and recent reductions in base rates, mortgage rates continue to rise.

RBS in £5 Billion Rights Issue

According to today's Daily Telegraph, The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to go to the City and ask for £5 billion in new capital. RBS is the first major British bank to admit it needs large amounts of cash to shore up its finances.

RBS owns NatWest, one of the biggest names on UK high streets. The fact that RBS is in trouble begs an interesting question. Only last month there was a run on HBOS - Halifax Bank of Scotland - when rumours spread through the market that the bank was in trouble. Its easy to draw the conclusion that HBOS and RBS could have been mixed up.