"EVERY CROWD HAS A SIVER LINING" (Phineas Taylor Barnum)

“What is robbing a bank to owning a bank?” (Bertolt Brecht) - who is the bigger criminal asks the great playwright. Imagine a police picture of criminals with numbers hung round their necks, thieves; fraudsters; con men and Tax Dodgers, responsible for destroying the dreams of millions, lost homes; lost life savings; abandoned holidays, vile criminals indeed. Imagine these to be pictures of well groomed expensively dressed senior executives of the top British banks and financial institutions, the captains of industry and the backbone of the British establishment. These people are the biggest villains since “The Great Train Robbers” but; ‘porridge’ is not for them, ‘porridge’ is for the burglar; the car thief; the drunken brawler, not for these masters of malfeasance. Doesn’t it just “rip yer knitting” to see that they are ‘lords’ and ‘sirs’ no affair of state or Royal Garden Party is complete without them; munching canapés and swilling champagne like pigs at a trough, remember these are the people who are at the top of what most British people would describe as a ‘decent society’ a cruel deception indeed for those who are ever so proud to be British, proud they now find of a country dominated at the highest level by swindlers. .

Scotland has plenty of them as well with “the world’s worst banker" Fred the shred Goodwin out in front, a “Feegie Boy” apparently, as if we didn’t have enough image problems. Lots of Scots are proud of a vile concoction called whisky, they take great national pride in it; how cruel on them to find that one of it’s most famous names ‘Johnnie Walker’ relocated it’s brand abroad to avoid paying taxes to it’s native country, does it surprise you when we have a first minister like Alex (the spiv) Salmond? Approx. 230 of the top British companies pay no tax at all, this is 'sorted' for them by our top 4 law firms, the kind of firms who are responsible for ensuring that justice is done, this is a game that only the rich and powerful can play, most ordinary people can’t afford it, most ordinary people pay their taxes, these rich and powerful people have a word for us it’s “MUG”

Meanwhile another mighty scandal which has been going on for decades continues to shame our society; billions of pounds in benefits go unclaimed by those who are entitled to them because the state is not proactive enough in looking after those who need help. When you think of the fat cat boss getting his millions in pay off deals despite his failures and disreputable behaviour you should also think of the old age pensioner who can’t afford proper heating because they don’t understand the system, or the person with learning difficulties who’s life could be greatly improved by receiving full benefit entitlement, there are thousands of such cases like this and the fact that it is allowed to go on is a scandal.

Capitalism is staggering around like a boxer ready to go down for the count, now is the time to land that blow, now is the time to introduce rules and laws that will prevent these parasites from ever prospering again. The need for the state has never been more obvious, we need to tackle tax avoidance once and for all and extend co-operation to other countries to do likewise, it’s time that those who need help were given it, those who have worked their shift and deserve a comfortable retirement without money worries.

The real scroungers; the liars and exploiters have inadvertently highlighted that the resources are there, we just need the political will to seize them.