‘selling off the family silver!’

Conversation allegedly overheard by someone travelling on the tube in Bank Station (it would have to be!) in the City of London.

Banker 1:  We need to start selling our public assets particularly those in the public sector.

Banker 2:  Why?

Banker 1: Because we are in a financial crisis, the economy is on the verge of collapse. The public gave us £1.3 Trillion (£1,300,000,000,000,000) which is nice of them. We don’t have to pay that off yet. Thank God they are not asking for it back.

Banker 2:  But why sell off our ‘family silver’ so cheaply?

Banker 1: Don’t be silly! We have a £1.35 Billion (1,350,000,000,000) Public Sector debt we have to pay off.

Banker 2:  I don’t understand?  Why don’t the government ask for the banks to help out?

Banker 1: Because we are banks silly! We don’t lend them money! It’s too risky! They might not pay us back and what would that mean for our bonuses? 

Banker 2:  Bonuses? You still getting a bonus?

Banker 1: Of course. Why shouldn’t we get our bonus? We take all the risks? Without us the economy would be in big trouble

Banker 2: But the economy is in big trouble, that is why the public hates bankers! Anyway I still don’t know why the sell off?

Banker 1: OK, OK listen. We got to keep the attention off the banks and back on public sector. The property portfolios of public sector are worth Billions of pounds. Thanks to our two banker mates running the Government (David & Nick) their job is to misdirect public’s attention from us to the public sector debt. By selling off council properties, especially schools the government will be able to halve the debt. They are seen as saviours, we take a cut from our friends in the multinationals who buy up the assets, everyone is a winner!

Banker 2: Not everyone surely.

Banker 1: Well no, but we are a bank not a public service! We have shareholders to answer to. Remember the banker’s motto ‘greed is good’. The Mugs just got to take the pain that is just the way it is? Any way how long you been a banker?

Banker 2: I’m not a banker. I’m one of the mugs!

Awkward silence…………………..

Schools belong to the community, they are a public asset. We should not be selling off public assets on the cheap. If you want to know more about why academies are not a good idea click on this link to the anti academy alliance http://www.antiacademies.org.uk/