Bank bailout: your emails

Last Modified: 09 Oct 2008
By: Channel 4 News

The government's £500bn bailout package and the plight of investors in Icelandic banks generated debate and questions.

What do you think? Email us at news@channel4.com

The banking bailout

Why didn't Jon Snow force Alastair Darling to say whether or not the bailout of the banks would necessitate government spending cuts?

The government has promised to safeguard the money of savers, why can't a similar promise to safeguard public services be made in order to calm the fears of those who do not earn enough to have any savings?

J Russell

Won't this influx of money simply allow the banks to carry on as before? Surely, it's treating the symptoms, not the disease.

What happens when the banks mess up again and come looking for more?

And what WON'T be done now that extraordinary amount of money is lost from the public purse?

I know the Treasury expects to get its money back in three years, but there's no guarantee of that.

Ian

At the risk of appearing hopelessly naive - what I don't quite understand amongst all this talk of recapitalisation of the banking system is why banks lending to each other should automatically assume priority over lending to individuals, families and, more obviously, to business.

This becomes doubly puzzling when it is our, rather than, their money. Would be extremely grateful if someone would put this to a qualified party.

Bert

Why does no one ever ask why we as taxpayers don't insist that banks have to create some liquidity in the system, or forgo the bailouts?

Surely they are responsible for the situation, and why should we rush to their rescue without some guarantees!

Also why don't we insist on huge bonuses being repaid if the bank failed? Are we all stupid?

Any other business very quickly refuses bonuses if they haven't done well that year, these people have made enough money to last them a lifetime, whilst we all have to bear the consequences of their greed!

The American taxpayer doesn't take this, so why would we in England?

SJ Hatcher

Icelandic banks

I want to voice my disgust with the decision to bail out Icelandic banks.

These people have taken their money out of the UK to a foreign country for their own personal gain and greed and now to stand to be recompensed in full unlike those of us in the UK who only have an assurance of £50,000.

P Kinsey

Following comments in tonight's news, I think it important to point out that I invested in Icesave because it was listed on the FSA website!

Richard

I was a little surprised during Jon Snow's interview with the Chancellor that when he questioned him about the proposed government 100 per cent support for investors in Icelandic Banks, he did not ask him why such a generous offer was not available in the event that a British bank became insolvent.

I think that the British taxpayers and savers would be interested to know the answer.

Alan