Just out of interest, the original post compared fiddling expenses with being paid a bonus. Whatever the rights and wrongs of paying out such bonuses, I fail to see the comparison with criminal activity?    Also, and I know this is not always a popular fact to point out... bonuses are taxed so most of it ends up paying for public services anyway. If the money stayed within the bank, it would be squirrelled away where the tax man can't get it.

Perversely, paying out bonuses is one way of clawing it back.

Now... the amounts being paid are obscene. Not through politics of envy, but because those who got us in this mess seem as ever to be those recovering first. They just don't get it. Me? For every banker who threatens to go abroad if the government curbs his or her excesses, I would consider it good investment of public funds to pay for their one way air ticket. You will find that as finance is international anyway, something else keeps them here, and that is wanting to live in london.

Mind you, I am stereotyping a bit here. The country is recovering, yet everybody feels threatened. Why is that? The FTSE is sky high, interest rates should be lower to reflect the base rate and manufacturing output is climbing each month.

Oh, politics. I forgot.

The Tory government have an idealogical aversion to bloated public services, so are using the coffers as an excuse to push their agenda.

I too hate bloated public services, but I draw the line at what this lot are doing. If the level of public expenditure was maintained but targeted better, (not easy, I know) the quality of life would improve across the board.

Whether that would address greed and envy, I doubt it. Whether the private sector can go further and reduce the deficit, I also doubt it.   Whether Ed Milliband has an alternative yet, I doubt it.

Bit of a bugger all round really.