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- Written by: Kamran Mofid
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Across Europe, political leaders have lost the trust of their people: The retreat of virtue has become a plague of our times. Greed is legitimate
Lest we forget: As an ancient proverb says 'The fish rots from the head', meaning, that if the servant is disorderly, it is because the master is so; if the citizens are greedy and corrupt, it is because their leaders are so.
“There was a time when to live a life virtuously was well understood. It embraced personal integrity, commitment to a purpose that was higher than personal gain, a degree of selflessness and even modesty. Those at the top may have got there through ruthlessness and ambition, but they understood that to lead was to set an example and that involved demonstrating better qualities than simply looking after yourself.- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
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The other day (5 April 2013) on a blog posted on this website I had urged the UK’s Chancellor, George Osborne that in the interest of consistency, fairness, and justice, having asked “Why should the taxpayer fund 'lifestyles' like those of the Philpotts?” he should also ask: “Why should the taxpayer fund 'lifestyles' like those of the Sir James Crosby, Andy Hornby, and Lord Stevenson?”
Today’s (7 April 2013) Editorial in the Observer, so very eloquently debates and discusses this very question that I had suggested to Mr. Osborne. Due to its significant relevance to advancing the issues that I had hoped my question will generate, I have copied the Observer’s Editorial below for your further reflection and consideration:
From welfare to banks, fairness is the key
“Britain needs an urgent debate about fairness – the responsibilities we all have to the wider society we live in, and to the taxpayer. Last week saw examples of extraordinary duplicity and criminal irresponsibility from both the upper and lower echelons of society.- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
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Yesterday (4 April 2013) UK’s Chancellor, George Osborne asked: Why should the taxpayer fund 'lifestyles' like those of the Philpotts? He said that it was now time for Government and society to "question" whether it was appropriate for "lifestyles" such as Philpott's to be funded by the taxpayer.
I agree. Those who abuse the system and steal from it, must be identified, shamed and punished.
However, in order to be consistent, fair, and just, I believe that Mr. Osborne must now answer the following question too:
Why should the taxpayer fund 'lifestyles' like those of the Sir James Crosby, Andy Hornby, and Lord Stevenson?
*The bank, formed out of Bank of Scotland and Halifax in 2001, racked up £47bn of losses on bad loans
*Such losses would have led to insolvency, had the bank not been bailed out by the taxpayer and Lloyds TSB, the commission claimed
*Banking standards commission chair Andrew Tyrie says there was "a colossal failure of leadership"
*The report, called An Accident Waiting to Happen, said that £20.5bn of public money went into the rescue of HBOS before and after its merger with Lloyds