Over the weekend, we have been given the glad tidings that the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB are to give staff at least £1billion in bonuses, despite having having received more than £25 billion in hand-outs, largely because of their ineptitude. That amount represented an average contribution to the bank of around £1,300 by each family in the UK. The banks justify their actions by saying that if they don’t reward their best employees, they will seek work elsewhere. I think it might take a while for them to get other work — are they not aware that Britain is sinking deeper each day into recession and mass unemployment?
Home Secretary (should there be a “Second” in front of that “Home”?) Jacqui Smith, responsible for law enforcement in the country, has a large family home in Redditch, for which she claims a tax free payment of up to £24,000 a year, as she has designated her sister’s house as her main residence, meaning that the Redditch one is classed as her second home. Her husband and children live there, and he is paid £40,000 for the privilege of being her assistant. Ms Smith herself earns £142,000 as Home Secretary, and claimed a total of £152,000 in Commons expenses for the period 2006-07. That’s a handy £5654 a week, just a trifle more than those of us who have the option of either eating or heating.
A list of Britain’s Top National Wonders was released at the end of the week. It was headed by the Lake District; The Scottish Highlands made it into second place, and according to the Daily Express, Cheddar George came in third. I can only hope that his partner is partial to the bovine product as well.
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