Home » Posts tagged "Responsibility"

Tag Archives: Responsibility

The debate on Professional Standards in the Banking Industry

By Steve Baker
Jul-5-2012
Business, Politics
Comments Off

I can’t speak in the debate on professional standards in the banking industry today: I missed the opening speeches in order to help lead a conversation amongst colleagues on economic growth. As I listen to the debate from my office or in the Chamber, I realise my levels of optimism are highly dependent on who is speaking. On the one hand, I am discouraged by the sheer partisanship which has been reported in the speeches I missed. To understand the [...]

Tags: Banking, Ethics, Parliament, Responsibility

Two questions in the House on an EU referendum and responsibility in banking

By Steve Baker
Jul-2-2012
Politics
Comments Off

Today, I had two questions during statements. I welcomed the progress the Prime Minister is making towards a referendum on our relationship with the EU and asked him to remind us who denied the public a say on the Lisbon Treaty – Labour. I then asked the Chancellor to look again at my Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill, which would transfer commercial risk into the banks, ending the incentives which create a culture of recklessness and rule-breaking. Questions are useful, but [...]

Tags: Banking, EU, Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill, Parliament, Referendum, Responsibility

Two simple steps to transform the culture of banking and to forestall the next outrage

It’s time to privatise commercial risk in banking and insist on prudent accounts. Government should: Eliminate moral hazard from the financial system by implementing this measure to make bank directors strictly liable without limit and to treat as capital both directors’ personal bonds and, for five years, the bonus pool. Introduce prudent bank accounting so banks can’t game the rules using derivatives to manufacture illusory profits from unrealised cash flows. The banking system isn’t capitalist It’s not capitalism when private individuals [...]

Tags: Accounting, Banking, Derivatives, economics, Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill, Financial Services (Regulation of Derivatives) Bill, IFRS, Moral Hazard, Responsibility

The Barclays LIBOR scandal – the world seems to have shifted towards my last bill: those at the top must be held responsible.

By Steve Baker
Jun-28-2012
Politics
2 Comments.

The Prime Minister has said he wants responsibility in banking, right to the top. The National Association of Pension Funds wants bonus clawbacks from the people who made the related trades. There’s endless talk of the irresponsible culture in banking. All that is addressed by my last bill. Nick Robinson just mentioned politicians trying to catch up with people’s anger. I guess he has not spotted my proposed measures to make directors and staff of financial institutions liable for the consequences [...]

Tags: Banking, Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill, Justice, Liberty, Licence, Responsibility

The moral case for lower, simpler taxes and a request for a debate

By Steve Baker
May-24-2012
Politics
3 Comments.

This week, the 2020 Tax Commission published its final report (PDF). Yesterday, Eamonn Butler wrote Don’t ignore the powerful moral arguments against high taxation. I recommend the whole article, but this section is particularly compelling: Tax reduces people’s ability to act morally. They might prefer to spend their money on helping their children become good citizens, caring for their elderly relatives, or supporting good causes. Instead they see it taken and going on bank bailouts or expensive prestige projects. Though we wish [...]

Tags: 2020Tax, Institute of Directors, Morality, Responsibility, Tax, TaxPayers' Alliance

The fuel pantomime: why put up with our vulnerability to the words of ministers?

By Steve Baker
Mar-31-2012
Politics
2 Comments.

Charles Moore is suggesting that this fuel pantomime may be a deliberate strategy: But now that I have heard the Conservatives’ private explanation, which is being handed down to constituency associations by MPs, I begin to feel angry. The private message is as follows. “This is our Thatcher moment. In order to defeat the coming miners’ strike, she stockpiled coal. When the strike came, she weathered it, and the Labour Party, tarred by the strike, was humiliated. In order to [...]

Tags: Fuel, Government, Liberty, Responsibility, Society

Motorcycle Industry Association publish Policy Framework

By Tim Hewish
Mar-29-2012
Politics
1 Comment.

As I blogged recently, I was glad to host the Associate Parliamentary Motorcycle Group reception in Parliament on 7th March. At this event The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) previewed their Policy Framework for Motorcycling. With this publication, they again point out how important the industry is, and can continue to be, to the British economy. It is a £7.2billion industry, employing 62,000 people in over 6,000 businesses and it includes the largest solely UK-owned automotive manufacturer: Triumph Motorcycles. The CEO of [...]

Tags: Bikes, Liberty, Parliament, Responsibility

Pro-bike, anti-EU. What’s not to like?

By Steve Baker
Sep-25-2011
Fun, Politics
1 Comment.

Via Action Now! EU Hands Off Biking: There’s a raft of issues emanating from Europe that will have a profound effect on riders and the motorcycle industry generally and we must stand up. Some of them are driven by the EU Commission, like the new Type Approval and Market Surveillance Regulation that will see the introduction of compulsory ABS, the sealing of powertrains from airbox to the diameter and aspect ratio of the rear tyre, restrictions on the aftermarket industry, possible [...]

Tags: Bikes, EU, Liberty, MAG, Responsibility

The riots in England

By Steve Baker
Aug-12-2011
Politics
2 Comments.

Over the past few days, many constituents have written to me expressing anger and dismay about the riots, policing and justice. I share this anger and dismay. As I said in my article on Wednesday, we must establish that the state’s duty is to protect the law-abiding and their property first and foremost and that the police do not require the consent of rioters before acting with reasonable force. The Prime Minister has said that we will do whatever it takes [...]

Tags: Broken Society, Ethics, Government, Justice, Liberty, Responsibility, Riot, Society

Public life – how low can we go?

By Steve Baker
Jul-11-2011
Politics
4 Comments.

I came into politics out of fury with a political elite which was positively trampling the principles of democracy and an open society. By 2007, what Labour were doing to our country was awful enough, but then the handling of the Lisbon Treaty was the final straw: what a witches’ brew of deceit, sophisty and betrayal surrounded that unacceptable affront to government with the consent of the governed. I thought we could go no lower. And then came the expenses [...]

Tags: Ethics, Government, Liberty, Media, Press, Responsibility, Society

← Older posts

Tag Archives: Responsibility

The debate on Professional Standards in the Banking Industry

Two questions in the House on an EU referendum and responsibility in banking

Two simple steps to transform the culture of banking and to forestall the next outrage

The Barclays LIBOR scandal – the world seems to have shifted towards my last bill: those at the top must be held responsible.

The moral case for lower, simpler taxes and a request for a debate

The fuel pantomime: why put up with our vulnerability to the words of ministers?

Motorcycle Industry Association publish Policy Framework

Pro-bike, anti-EU. What’s not to like?

The riots in England

Public life – how low can we go?

Enjoy freedom responsibly

Twitter

Recommended reading

Tags

See also

Latest

About this site

Login/Register