Tag Archives: lending

David Boyle

Opinion: This could be the historic moment the banks shift

By David Boyle | Mon 16th December 2013 - 8:34 am

Tuesday will see one of those moments which may prove a turning point in the development of an effective UK banking system.

That is the day that the banks will reveal the geographical spread of their lending, down to 9,000 different postcode levels.

It is the culmination of a major effort by Lib Dems in the House of Lords earlier in the last two years, with a great deal of help from elsewhere, to make sure that this happened.

It is also a creative moment of possibility – not to criticise the banks, because they need to be given the credit for this …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 3 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Vince v Osborne – the battle for RBS’s future

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 2nd August 2012 - 2:26 pm

The future of the Royal Bank of Scotland is back in the headlines today.

The Financial Times reports that ministers are discussing buying the remaining shares in RBS, bringing it fully under state control. This would allow them to force it to lend more to viable small and medium-sized businesses  without having to worry about other shareholders challenging such a direction in the courts.

The Guardian reports that Liberal Democrat   Vince Cable is the driving force behind this plan. He believes that it’s the only way to get money to businesses.

What we do know, and Vince Cable confirmed when taking …

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Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 18 Comments
David Thorpe

Opinion: The best way to get banks to lend more is to reduce the deficit

By David Thorpe | Mon 25th April 2011 - 1:58 pm

From among the blizzard of economic forecast, commentary and political point scoring which presently dominates the airwaves, there is very little consensus but the need to get the banks to lend more is something which brings all sides of the debate together.

The dividing line appears to be on how best to achieve this.

Those who subscribe broadly to the neo-classical or neo-liberal economic world view believe that banks will start wanting to lend as the economy recovers and businesses become more viable. This ‘leave it to the market’ approach is something which Lib Dems should (and do) reject, not just on …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 4 Comments
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    I joined ULS 50 years ago this month, at Reading University, but didn't join the Liberal Party until a year or so later. The things that attracted me? Industria...
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