Government by Banking Institutions

On Tuesday, The Independent reported that City banks and investment institutions told George Osborne to step up the Government's commitment to low carbon energy in order to avoid a future marked by climate change related disasters.

On Wednesday, George Osborne stressed how vital big banking institutions are to our society and told the United Kingdom:

 "I want Britain to be the home of big successful banks. I think it would be a real shame if we were saying to the likes of HSBC that they can't locate themselves in the UK. I think that would be a mistake for us as a country."

It looks rather to me like we're being governed by banks. For some reason the entire banking sector of the United Kingdom has jumped on board the carbon bandwagon. Stepping into a local branch of HSBC recently, I saw two promotional posters. One had a picture of a bee or wasp with cameras for eyes with a caption that said something like, 'In the future, nature and technology will work in harmony' or something equally Orwellian.

The second poster was highlighting how HSBC was the first carbon neutral bank - as if anyone cares! Bizarre. And remember...usury is good for you, folks! It's never let you down before and it won't let you down again. In the meantime, perhaps someone can tell me what this has to do with mortgages and overdrafts?

Beneath the caption HSBC inform us that 'there's a new world emerging'. Sure, there is, and a brave one at that. It's a new world in which banks run Governments and people are just numbers.