Why is the Archbishop of Canterbury sticking his oar in?

[Badger]

It always annoys me when Rowan gets involved (unless it's Rowan Atkinson, he can say what he likes), stick to your nonsense job and leave the politics to politicians. I'm pretty sure "faith" isn't going to solve the financial crisis.

 

[00snook]

I'm pretty much sure he'd rather, mate. But when there's ordinary people protesting about the corporate greed monsters in his own back yard, he's got little option but to get involved. Which IMHO is good. It can only advance the debate and make society as a whole maybe question whether we actually want these chancers in our midst, or whether they should be forcibly exiled to, say, Hong Kong.

I wouldn't mind beign forcibly exiled to Hong Kong, as long as I got relocation fees, set up with a job out there etc.

Only problem is a shortage of golf courses, and that is a very long commute to the Amex!

 

[User removed 4]

As long as it winds you up, my work here is done

haha, carry on mate, as long as you keep on exposing yourself as an idiot that'll do me.

 

[Shooting Star]

Why is Prince Charles sticking his oar in? Oh wait, we can't attack the monarchy but let's pick on the Church, easy target.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

More to the point, why is Sir Steve Redgrave NOT sticking his oar in?

 

[Albumen]

It's sad that people still need to listen to this kind of thing. It's got f*** all to do with him of course.

 

[Medwayseagull]

He has a history of controversial comments in the public policy arena and is trying to make the church relevant to todays issues. Mind you he hasn't got much chance of doing so apart from getting a few newspaper headlines.

 

[catfish]

When I saw the title of this thread I though it would be about Rowan Williams suggesting we revert to a 4-3-3 formation with fullbacks bombing on to supply the width and two of the three strikers reverting to a five in midfield when we lose possession.

The silly old sod.

I thought it was going to be about his participation in the boat race.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Was it not the Archbishop or one of his cohorts a couple of years ago that told politicians to keep out of church business....Tax on money transactions will not work and would be very damaging to this country unless the tax is worldwide!

 

[tedebear]

This whole thing is embarrassing, no least because the protestors have created a mockery of the church they are camping in front of, but because the church have reacted as they have. They should have keep their snouts out and fed the protestors soup and carried on their ministry in a silent agreement a far more telling picture would have been presented.

What I want to know in all of this, is when people are protesting about "bankers" and slagging off their "bonuses" and the "greed" of the financial markets and what ever else they can level an incoherent Sun style rant against, what the bloody hell they want instead?

 

[Dandyman]

The chinese are rubbing their hands at the thought of this tax, they've told sarkozy he can have all the money he wants if he gets this tax through, if cameron melts and he does, watch a lot of our trading disappear to hong kong.

Interesting - It seems that the financial sector are in your view both so unpatriotic and so greedy that a transaction tax of 0.5% is sufficient to drive them to the Far East.

 

[Dandyman]

This whole thing is embarrassing, no least because the protestors have created a mockery of the church they are camping in front of, but because the church have reacted as they have. They should have keep their snouts out and fed the protestors soup and carried on their ministry in a silent agreement a far more telling picture would have been presented.

What I want to know in all of this, is when people are protesting about "bankers" and slagging off their "bonuses" and the "greed" of the financial markets and what ever else they can level an incoherent Sun style rant against, what the bloody hell they want instead?

How about proper regulation and oversight of a sector of the economy that has plunged the world into crisis mainly due to it's own greed and ineptitude.

 

[beorhthelm]

Tax on money transactions will not work and would be very damaging to this country unless the tax is worldwide!

a tax on money transactions wont work at all, at least not both the claimed aims. it if raised substantial revenue, it hasnt reduced transactions; if it reduces transactions, it wont raise much revenue.

i'd suggest he needs to stick to tidying up affairs in his own backgarden first, for example dealing with the homophobia in the church.

 

[beorhthelm]

Interesting - It seems that the financial sector are in your view both so unpatriotic and so greedy that a transaction tax of 0.5% is sufficient to drive them to the Far East.

the thing is if the profit margin on a transaction is 0.25%, then its not worth it. theres no regulation, you just shift the issues of concern elsewhere.

lets just consider two points about the proposed tax. firstly, Germany used to have somethign similar and Sweden tried exactly the same thing in the 80's. they both dropped it. secondly, who really pays for it? the client or customer. you. do you want to pay an additional 0.5% on your mortgage interest? your ISA and pension fund fees?

 

[Dandyman]

the thing is if the profit margin on a transaction is 0.25%, then its not worth it. theres no regulation, you just shift the issues of concern elsewhere.

lets just consider two points about the proposed tax. firstly, Germany used to have somethign similar and Sweden tried exactly the same thing in the 80's. they both dropped it. secondly, who really pays for it? the client or customer. you. do you want to pay an additional 0.5% on your mortgage interest? your ISA and pension fund fees?

If it encouraged stability and discouraged the more irresponsible speculation that sounds a good thing to me.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

How about proper regulation and oversight of a sector of the economy that has plunged the world into crisis mainly due to it's own greed and ineptitude.

More a question of ensuring that it is the company shareholders that bear the cost of a business failure imo, not the UK taxpayer. Tighten the regulation if necessary, pay the traders etc what you will but if it all goes tits up then it's the company that pays, not me.

 

[beorhthelm]

If it encouraged stability and discouraged the more irresponsible speculation that sounds a good thing to me.

yeah, there is a arguement to be made for it on those grounds, IF it were applied globally. the level spoken about is probably far too high, encroaching on the more "legitimate" trading. id much rather see proper regulation or removal of things like naked shorting and high frequency trading which are increasing volitility. not so much talk of these though, but a tax grabs the interest of the left, and a nice gravy train for the organisation that will apply, administer and increase the revenue as they see fit.

 

[Lush]

First time this century that the Church of England's opinion on anything has been relevant.

 

[User removed 4]

Interesting - It seems that the financial sector are in your view both so unpatriotic and so greedy that a transaction tax of 0.5% is sufficient to drive them to the Far East.

Which "unpatriotic" banks are you referring to , the swiss owned UBS or credit suisse, no , perhaps the german owned deutsche or dresdner, if not them perhaps the french owned bnp, or soc gen, or let me think , could it be the american goldman sachs, merrill lynch, jp morgan or citigroup, hmmm let me see , perhaps its the japanese mizuho , daiwa or nomura, perhaps westpac or anz from australia ? the city is like wimbledon , the premier venue, but very little british champions, as for the greed, if its cheaper to trade somewhere else, they'll move there , at the end of the day they answer to shareholders, something you havent got a clue about in the cosseted public sector.

 

[Don Quixote]

If this goes through we are finished. Brown would never have let this happen.