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Solidarity Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan and Respect MP George Galloway have launched an online petition, with a call to the Prime Minister to put an end to punitive bank charges.
Sheridan said:
"Gordon Brown has the shares, and therefore the clout, to demand an end to this practice in HBOS, RBS and Northern Rock"
George Galloway, MP for Bethnal Green & Bow added: "The government is pouring hundreds of billions of pounds into the banks, at the very least we, the public, must have a say in how these part-public-owned banks operate. The petition states:
We, the public, as owners of Northern Rock, majority shareholders in RBS and the biggest shareholder in HBOS, ask the Prime Minister to instruct these banks to end the system of excessive, punitive bank charges immediately.
and can be signed at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthecharges/
Tommy Sheridan said on the launch of the petition:
"It can easily be forgotten that these 'poor' banks who got the bail-out are the same banks who in recent years have been declaring billions in profits and dividends, while charging their poorest customers excessive amounts for slips in their finances. Many people are still locked in a court battle with the banks, who want to protect their right to extort money from customers. Gordon Brown has the shares, and therefore the clout, to demand an end to this practice in HBOS, RBS and Northern Rock"
George Galloway, MP for Bethnal Green & Bow added: "The government is pouring hundreds of billions of pounds into the banks, at the very least we, the public, must have a say in how these part-public-owned banks operate. "Bank charges have been a con for years, hitting the lowest paid who often slip into exceeding their overdrafts by mistake. "They should be ended now and the government should use its stake in the banks to ensure that. Mortgage repossessions by Northern Rock are up, despite the fact that it is wholly publicly owned. There should be no punitive charges and no evictions. What was a matter between consumers and banks is now a plainly political issues between the people and the government. Gordon Brown has been given fair warning." |
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