So, this Co-Op Bank bloke...

Emp_Fab

I couldn't believe some of the nonsense being spouted on the news today...  they were acting as though the guy was a paedo drug dealer, when in reality, all that's "wrong" is that he likes the odd line of marching powder and watches a bit of porn.  Ok, so the coke is illegal, but FFS...  half the 'City' is hoovering it up night after night.  People falling on their swords, the bank "May not recover" (R4)....  why ???

Talk about overreaction...  the coke and the porn is his business - and it can't possibly have any bearing on his ability to do his job.

I think it's about time we stopped being so bloody sanctimonious and moralising and a bit more realistic about what people do.

Bucket

I thought it was crystal meth and if so, isn't that significantly worse than coke?

Paul_C

wasn't the "wrong" bit that he nearly brought the whole bank down and didn't really have a clue what he was doing ? 

he was asked by MPs what the total value of the bank was and various other large numbers and hadn't got the first idea what any of them were - the coke bit was just the icing on the cake, as it were.

monquixote

The Co-Op are meant to be whiter than white and many of their customers chose them because of this and worse than the drug taking, when he was hauled up in front of parliament he didn't have a fucking clue about banking.

The problem is that they appear to be so incompetent that they would hire someone like that even when all the previous clues were there like getting fired for having porn on a laptop. 

None of this would matter if the bank had record profits, but as it's on the verge of collapse there is some blame to fling about.

Emp_Fab

Oh I'm sure he was a buffoon at his job, but my point was all the moralising that's going on about it.  The hypocrisy of the media acting all indignant and horrified and painting someone taking drugs and watching porn as the antichrist, when a large chunk of them probably go home to a couple of lines and a gimp suit.

thumpingrug

He was clearly not up to being the chair of the bank, but he didn't appoint himself to that position. 

The Co-op have trumpeted their ethical stance in the past and this is where it falls down as he is clearly not an ideal figurehead.

I have no problem with his coke or porn habit.  But he's an intelligent chap  (he once bought me a pint at a work conference 22 years ago, which as a methodist raises even more questions) and must have known he was out of his depth but was greedy enough to continue taking the £100k + annual salary.   That just makes him another greedy banker.

bertie

Paul_C said:

wasn't the "wrong" bit that he nearly brought the whole bank down and didn't really have a clue what he was doing ? 

yes, but that doesnt make juicy reading for the red tops and yer average 'mumsnet' style TV program

see Daily Mirror front page

Fretwired

Emp_Fab said:

I couldn't believe some of the nonsense being spouted on the news today...  they were acting as though the guy was a paedo drug dealer, when in reality, all that's "wrong" is that he likes the odd line of marching powder and watches a bit of porn.  Ok, so the coke is illegal, but FFS...  half the 'City' is hoovering it up night after night.  People falling on their swords, the bank "May not recover" (R4)....  why ???

Talk about overreaction...  the coke and the porn is his business - and it can't possibly have any bearing on his ability to do his job.

I think it's about time we stopped being so bloody sanctimonious and moralising and a bit more realistic about what people do.

Wasn't he kicked out of the church for hanging around toilets with young boys?

bertie

Fretwired said:

Wasn't he kicked out of the church for hanging around toilets with young boys?

wouldnt that get him promoted ?

ESBlonde

Bloke with a known poor moral record and lack of qualifications resorts to drug taking when the shyte hits the fan shocker!

Gosh.

Phil_aka_Pip

R4 commented last nigh that he resigned after a "sex & drugs scandal". FFS! The "sex" was "inappropriate but not illegal" images on a work PC. The "drugs" was a little white powder with which most city types are quite familiar. The fact that he was an incompetent manager didn't feature much in the news bulletin. They obviously felt the need to juice the report up a bit.

johnnyurq

Phil_aka_Pip said:

R4 commented last nigh that he resigned after a "sex & drugs scandal". FFS! The "sex" was "inappropriate but not illegal" images on a work PC. The "drugs" was a little white powder with which most city types are quite familiar. The fact that he was an incompetent manager didn't feature much in the news bulletin. They obviously felt the need to juice the report up a bit.

I refer the honourable gentleman to the Peter Principle as far as inept managers go.

But yes another so called good man being a greedy banker, inappropriate porn and columbian marching powder is hardly the end of the world and in keeping with the banking fraternity.

Shouldn't have gotten the job in the first place from the sound of it.

bertie

johnnyurq said:

Shouldn't have gotten the job in the first place from the sound of it.

sounds a bit over qualified to me

johnnyurq

Maybe God told him how to run the Co-Op bank and gave him a bum steer, there goes his omnipotence. And the neighbourhood.

Phil_aka_Pip

@johnnyurq had to look up the peter principle, but on reading the wiki intro my mind became refreshed on the subject. Not sure it applied here, as he didn't rise up the ranks for being competent only to get stuck in a job where he wasn't. 

johnnyurq

@Phil_aka_pip

LOL

True dat but I also had the being elevated one step above your competence element in mind for him.

Mind you he doesn't seem worthy of the first rung of the ladder TBH.