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 […]
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In the House today: Financial Services and Prudential Requirements
This afternoon an EU document relating to Financial Services and Prudential Requirements was placed before the House of Commons. It was not debated: debate took place in Committee last week. I attended, though I was not formally assigned to the Committee. The EU’s proposals amount to further European Union encroachment […]
Read MoreSpeech on the Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill
I was delighted today that my ten-minute rule Bill was introduced without opposition. This late in the Parliament, the Bill itself is extremely unlikely to make further progress but I was glad to put the following on the record (these are my notes – Hansard is here: Mr Speaker, I […]
Read MoreFinancial Institutions (Reform) Bill – Other measures
In previous articles, I set out why it’s necessary to address risk-taking incentives in banks and how losses would be covered from the bonus pool and director’s personal bonds before hitting equity. This article sets out other necessary provisions. 5. Accounting standards 5.1 For the purposes of the Bill, all […]
Read MoreFinancial Institutions (Reform) Bill – Use of personal bonds and bonus pool to make good bank losses
Yesterday, I began to set out how my proposed Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill would meet the need for a vibrant, reliable and robust banking system by adjusting bank directors’ and employees’ exposure to commercial risk. That article described changes to bank directors’ liability and the treatment of bonuses. This article […]
Read MoreFinancial Institutions (Reform) Bill – Liability of bankers and treatment of bonuses
A developed society like ours needs a good means of exchange, unit of account and store of value: a good money. It also needs a vibrant, dynamic, reliable and robust means of executing payments and intermediating savings to entrepreneurs: we need a good banking system. Unfortunately, Of all the many ways […]
Read MoreThe BoE’s Andrew Haldane: “The best proposals for [bank] reform are those which aim to reshape risk-taking incentives on a durable basis”
While preparing to seek permission to introduce my Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill, I discovered a recent article by the Bank of England’s Executive Director for Financial Stability, Andrew Haldane, The Doom Loop: Equity in Banking: The continuing backlash against banking, as evidenced in popular protests on Wall Street and in the City […]
Read MoreMP bids to hold directors to account for losses | News | Money Marketing
Via MP bids to hold directors to account for losses | News | Money Marketing: All-party Parliamentary group on economics, money and banking chair Steve Baker wants directors of financial institutions to be forced to take personal liability for their firms’ losses. In a private member’s bill to be debated later […]
Read MoreNew 10-minute rule bill: The Financial Institutions (Reform) Bill
Next wednesday, after PMQs, I’ll be seeking leave to introduce a Bill to make bank directors and the recipients of bonuses liable for bank losses, amongst other measures. Via Parliament’s future business: FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (REFORM) Steve Baker That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enforce strict liability […]
Read MoreThree flaws in the Financial Services Bill
Under the heading, Osborne looks to limit damage of ‘credit busts’, the FT gives a neat summary of the Chancellor’s plans. In particular: He said the FPC would also look out for dangerous linkages in the financial system and identify exotic new instruments that might undermine stability. It would be […]
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