Limiting bonuses is not the answer

12 April 2012

The policy of limits for cash bonuses for high-street banks' senior staff, described on this page by Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, could be labelled "Never Again Sir Fred".

Sir Fred Goodwin, the amply remunerated former bank chief, may be history as far as the City is concerned. But for most voters he symbolises the excess that brought recession.

A £6 billion bonus round is expected this year, infuriating the taxpayers who funded the bailout.

At a time when banks are still failing to lend to credit-worthy businesses, that makes action of some kind from the Conservatives a political necessity.

The danger for the Tories is that controls on bonuses could tie the hands of the high street banks as they compete for staff.

The Royal Bank needed a new chief executive of the stature of Stephen Hester to replace Sir Fred, and he accepted a largely deferred compensation - but it does amount to £9m. Banks that need talent will need to pay up to remain competitive.

The other difficulty for the shadow chancellor is that the City regards bonuses alone as a side issue.

On our City pages we report how the City minister Lord Myners is threatening government action if investment banks do not reduce the unduly high fees they charge for underwriting and advice. He is quite right to do so.

It is the excessive returns investment banks earn, thanks to limited competition and the supine attitudes of the companies and investing institutions who pay these fees, which allow such high bonuses.

At the same time, the Governor of the Bank of England has made it clear that the casino-like, high risk, high return activities of investment banking must no longer imperil the utility service of providing payments and everyday credit.

These issues are of greater fundamental importance than the immediate political imperative of tackling bonuses. In addressing two very different audiences, the City and the average voter, Mr Osborne needs to adress the fears of both.

Teaching extremism

The revelation that Islamic schools in Tottenham and Slough are linked to Hizb ut- Tahrir movement while receiving public money is deeply disturbing.

This newspaper has previously revealed examples of extreme anti-Semitic and anti-Christian literature - since removed - at the Saudi-funded King Fahad Academy in Acton.

However, the present cases, since they involved schools supported by government schools grants, are more disturbing still.

In the years that followed the 9/11 attacks, government attempts to tackle extremism and improve social cohesion often involved support for groups that did not represent moderate Islam.

The apparent absence of Ofsted inspections at one of these schools, and the role of the Charity Commissioners and the local authorities, has not yet been fully explored.

But the case should put public bodies on notice to ask hard questions about whether community groups they support really are representative of moderate opinion.

It should also reopen the debate over whether the law against incitement to racial hatred should be used against such organisations.

Olympic hopes

Vicky Olaoye, a former sports shop worker from Islington, is in with a chance of Olympic gold in the skeleton event.

She came to a boneshaking sport associated with St Moritz playboys and British Army daredevils via a talent-spotting scheme aimed at encouraging participation ahead of the 2012 Games.

If a city thousands of miles from the Cresta Run can produce contenders like Ms Olaoye, surely anything is possible.

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