'Mr' Goodwin

13 replies

CogitoErgoSometimes · 31/01/2012 22:40

Poor old Fred. In a move normally reserved for convicted criminals and traitors, he's having his Sir unceremoniously removed. Do you suppose, like Mr Banks in Mary Poppins, they will punch a hole through his bowler hat and turn his umbrella inside out? And who will be next? Some nervous Knights will be quaking in their ermines tonight......

OP posts:

floweryblue · 01/02/2012 00:07

What I don't understand is why he is being victimised by the Queen!

What's that all about?

Many, many people have been in charge of businesses which have failed in the current economic climate. They are probably at fault in some way but probably less at fault than the governments I have seen in my adult life.

UnimaginitiveDadThemedUsername · 01/02/2012 09:54

Anyone who specifically received an honour for services to the financial services industry since deregulation in the early 80s should be looked into.

albertswearingen · 01/02/2012 10:44

I give not a tiny toss for The banker previously known as SirFredGoodwin and by all accounts he was a nasty piece of work but I don't think he should be singled out. Either all of the people on the boards of these banks that have have honours get stripped of them, or none.
How has Jeffrey Archer still got his - he was in jail for perjury.
This appears to be David Camerons gesture at dealing with banking bonuses. It is truly pathetic.

BarbarianMum · 01/02/2012 10:46

...actually, I think it's a good start. But I don't think he should be the last.

BettyBathroom · 01/02/2012 11:21

I don't think he should have received the honour in the first place...people should receive honours for doing something above and beyond - something they do not get financially rewarded for - included in that are the very well paid actors, recording artists etc etc. An honour for services to banking? No need - he got paid and rewarded handsomely, that is enough.

Was particularly amused by the FSA pointing the finger at him - have they forgotten what they were supposed to being doing at the time. He makes a great scapegoat.

edam · 01/02/2012 13:58

quite, Betty. Time for an overhaul of the whole honours system. It shouldn't be automatic that if you run a FTSE 100 company you get a gong - that's just doing your job. Or if you are a permanent secretary in a Whitehall department - ditto. OR they should make all the run of the mill 'services to the industry you work in anyway' honours the basic level, an MBE.

niceguy2 · 01/02/2012 14:01

To be honest I don't really care either way. The only thing I think is that it shows us to be a petty nation.

The banking crash was of course a big problem. However, it has triggered was what inevitable. And that was the realisation that many western countries were running unsustainable levels of credit.

What seems to have happened is that banker bashing has been a very good scapegoat for the rampant spending that politician's have been doing for decades.

fiftyval · 01/02/2012 14:08

They shouldn't have let him keep that huge pension - he may have lost the knighthood but is hardly going to be destitute as a result. However, they should apply the same logic to all the others.
I do find it interesting that, so far, the only bankers to have been deprived of something ( ie Goodwin and Hester) are not members of the old school/Oxbridge network. I'm sure Osbourne is ensuring his Bullingdon Club mates and their ilk don't get hounded in the same way as Fred Goodwin.

noddyholder · 01/02/2012 14:57

A grand gesture that means nothing

wahwahwah · 01/02/2012 15:01

He was very unpopular - not many people have a nice thing to say about him, so it is an easy target for the government (who are going for the popular vote here). He has not done anything criminal, just increadibly incompetent, and should not have been given it in the first place.

Too many people get awards rotor the wrong reason. I am sure Fred's £6k per month pension is some consolidation.

JulesJules · 01/02/2012 18:30

Absolutely agree with BettyBathroom.

While I don't have an ounce of sympathy for Sir Fred, I can't help thinking he would not have been made a scapegoat if he had been an old Etonian pal of Dave et al.

iwantbrie · 03/02/2012 12:09

Not got any sympathy fo him personally but it's disturbing that he lost his knighthood after what seems to be a 'trial by media'.

MAYBELATERNOWIMBUSY · 06/02/2012 18:28

the govt. , sensing the mood off the people(stiffles laff) throw sir, now just fred 2 the wolves , 4 two reasons , 1>will please the prolls and 2>fred ,

Flip