The Libor scandal has once again highlighted the need for a comprehensive inquiry into our banking system. Support our call for a judicial inquiry by clicking below, signing the petition and sharing it with everyone you know.
The Good Banking Forum includes a unique range of leading figures from academia, finance, politics, the law, trade unions, consumer and civil society groups that are demanding real reform of the banking sector.
The Forum emerged from the Good Banking Summit, organised by nef (the new economics foundation) and Compass in May 2011. The Forum challenges the limited scope of the Independent Commission on Banking, will mobilise public pressure for ‘Good Banking,’ and is campaigning to break-up the banks as a necessary first step.
This bank (RBS) was not merely too big to fail. It was too big to supervise, too big to operate, too complex to understand and highly dangerous
— , EU Competition Commissioner
06/07/2012 | Chris Hewett – How can government help new finance compete with the big banks
As the evidence of malpractice in the big high street banks continues to grow, individual savers and small businesses are desperately in need of alternative ways to get the financial services they need. Britain’s banking system is dominated by the universal banks of HSBC, Barclays, RBS and Lloyds, all of whom have business models geared towards making their profits from the investment banking world of global deals, big transactions and speculative trading. These are a world apart from their UK customer base of individual savers and small businesses needing working capital. The market should be an encouraging place for new financial service providers to come up with better offerings for the ordinary people and businesses of Britain. The problem is that policy makers and regulators are mesmerised by the big banks and have their work cut out preventing the bad banking behaviour, meaning not enough time and resources are devoted to encouraging the good. For the system to change, we need both, and The Finance Innovation Lab is supporting amendments being put forward in the Financial Services Bill to redress this balance.
22/05/2012 | John Weeks – Progressive Monetary Policy
Over the last two decades of “inflation targeting” policies, one of the last places to look for pragmatic economic policy were central banks. In answer to the question, in what country does the central bank have a growth focused mandate, most would answer, “there are none” or “beats me”. Yet, there is at least one. In Argentina the Ley Organicafor the central bank, passed by the houses of the legislature and signed by the president in March 2012, incorporates an unambiguous growth mandate. And if this does not make the central bank of Argentina unique, combining it with a woman as the Governor certainly so qualifies it.
24/04/2012 | Josh Ryan-Collins – Credit is what Credit does
It is getting on for four years now since the global financial crisis of 2008. There have been significant reforms, most notably the Dodd-Frank Act in the United States and the proposals of the UK’s Independent Commission on Banking. The policies coming out of these lengthy reviews are aimed at making our banks safer and less prone to instability. But will they actually make the banking system more socially useful and help us create sustainable growth?
30/03/2012 | March Taxcast now out
The Taxcast is an upbeat 15 minute monthly podcast with the latest news, research and analysis of global events in tax evasion, tax avoidance and the shadow banking system. It features headlines, analysis with economist Richard Murphy of The Courageous State and a mini-documentary. The March episode is below.
16/03/2012 | Six Myths About Money & Banking
In this video Josh Ryan Collins from the New Economics Foundation (nef) explains how money is created.
15/03/2012 | New Tax-related Podcast Released
The Taxcast is an upbeat 15 minute monthly podcast with the latest news, research and analysis of global events in tax evasion, tax avoidance and the shadow banking system. It features headlines, analysis with economist Richard Murphy of The Courageous State and a mini-documentary. The first episode is below.
01/03/2012 | The role of the KfW (Germany’s state investment bank)
This week Gudrum Gumb from KfW Bankengruppe came to London to explain the vital role that the German state investment bank plays in Germany’s economy and society. You can watch an excerpt from the seminar below.
01/03/2012 | Move Your Money Month Begins
On-going bonus culture, failing to meet lending targets to small business and increasing customer complaints has been the narrative for the exasperated public this February. Post financial crisis, behaviour in the city hasn’t changed and it’s high time something was done about it.
March 2012 is Move Your Money Month. We’re calling for people to move their money from the 5 big banking groups into local, mutual and ethical alternatives.
27/02/2012 | John Nightingale – Rebuilding Trust in the Regions
Since the launch of the ECCR report The Banks and Society: Rebuilding Trust in March 2011 members of ECCR West Midlands have met some of the bankers and academics in the region, as well as regional officers of the Bank of England. This paper reflects on some of the conversations held; however the views are those of the author alone and are offered as a contribution to the continuing discussion.
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Petition for a judge-led inquiry into UK banking - The Good Banking Campaign
goodbanking.org.uk
The Libor scandal has once again highlighted the need for a comprehensive inquiry into our banking system. Support our call for a judicial inquiry by clicking below, signing the petition and sharing it with everyone you know. Add your support here
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