Skip to main content

ben-green
28th February 2012

It’s a Goodwin for everybody

As has been prominently reported by every single news outlet in the country, Sir Fred Goodwin is now simply Mr Fred. He was stripped of his knighthood for his role in the collapse of RBS and the £45 million he has cost the taxpayer through his epic mishandling of the bank. Whilst this move has […]
Categories:
TLDR

As has been prominently reported by every single news outlet in the country, Sir Fred Goodwin is now simply Mr Fred. He was stripped of his knighthood for his role in the collapse of RBS and the £45 million he has cost the taxpayer through his epic mishandling of the bank. Whilst this move has been loudly trumpeted by Cameron, Clegg and the body who did it, the Forfeiture Committee, Mr Goodwin has been strangely quiet about the whole affair.

Who can blame him really, the poor man’s probably in shock. OK so he might have managed to bring about financial Armageddon, and admittedly he suffered no legal consequences for it whatsoever, but taking his knighthood away? That ought to show the bastard. Obviously it would just be unsporting to think about touching his massive piles of money, or his £16.9 million pension for that matter, I mean talk about kicking a man when he’s down. I feel sure I’m not alone in feeling that losing the right to be called ‘Sir’ is an entirely proportionate punishment for one of the worst cases of fiscal mismanagement this country has ever seen. Here’s how that conversation probably went:

“Sir Goodwin, the press are still saying some awfully nasty things about you,”

“I know, they’re always having a go, they just can’t seem to forget about the whole thing like the City chaps have.”

“Well I’m afraid we’re going to take your knighthood away.”

“You think they’ll leave me alone now they’ve had their revenge?”

“Probably,”

“Do I get to keep my obscene pension?”

“Absolutely,”

“Oh, alright then.”

Disagree? Tweet us @mancuniondebate or email [email protected] 

Ben Green

Ben Green

Former Comment editor (2011-2012).

More Coverage

Main Library Musings – Rant column #3

Edition three of the Opinion section’s rant column, Main Library Musings, sees three emotional trajectories: a complaint about the weather, a love letter to a bacon barm, and an ode to the best study space in the Main Library

Navigating the Rwanda bill: Why student voices matter

The youth vote has a track record of opposition to stringent and dangerous immigration law. It must therefore be galvanised in opposition to the Rwanda bill, which is threatening the human rights of vulnerable people and presents the worst of executive dominance

If Labour wants to regain trust, they must stick to their reformist roots

While heeding the lessons of Tory failure and chaos, Keir Starmer must grasp the reins of a chaos-driven Parliament and lead it through the ideals of progress and reform

Main Library Musings – Rant column #2

Edition #2 of the Opinion section’s rant column. Fuelled by sweaty palms and jabbing fingers on our keyboards, we lament three issues facing students: the library, buses, and supermarkets