Ben Elton and the Bankers

I'm not a huge fan of Ben Elton these days,  his involvement in 'We Will Rock You' did it for me.  But out of curiosity I picked up his book 'Meltdown' at the airport as I went on holiday last summer, and although the book could be rated at 'ok', there was a passage in it that really resonated with me.  It seems even more relevant this week, so here it is as written by Elton.  Hope he doesn't mind.

To give it some context, Sir Rupert, the boss of a bank, has awarded his mates dad Derek, a former long term manager of a branch he has recently taken over, a long service memento of a bottle of expensive champagne.  The reaction of Derek was as follows;

"Sir Rupert...you are a vandal and a first class bastard.

Let me tell you something...Your first duty is not to your shareholders.  That is a modern idea which is trotted out whenever a job is cut or a service reduced.  Business was not solely invented for the profit of shareholders.  Your first duty and the duty of any employer is to your staff and to your customers, not the bloody shareholders!  Shareholders are sleeping partners,  Their fortunes should rise and fall together with the fortunes of those who actually make the business in which the shareholders have chosen to invest.  You and your like, Sir Rupert, have created a situation where shareholder profit is created at the EXPENSE of the staff and customers.  They have become the enemies.  This is obscene!  It's madness!  It's completely barking!  You have forsaken your duty, Sir Rupert, and I don't want your bloody champagne."

I'm definitely with Derek on this.  What about you?  What about Sir Rupert Bob Diamond?