Barclay's bank profit falls by 3% to

Yeah it sucks, parasites feeding off the vulnerable. I saw one the other day that said 7000% in the small print. How can that be legal?

I'm all for business and a free market, but there needs to be some ethics and compassion in there somewhere...

As much as I don't condone bankers getting paid gazillions for nothing more than turning up to work i do think that the Barclay's case is a bit different to RBS. Unlike RBS Barclay's is an independent company that didn't take any bail out money from the government in the 2008 crisis. Its an independent company out purely to make money for its shareholders. The Barclay's shareholders are more than entitled to have an opinion on Bob Diamonds bonus pot as they own the company; however, I really don't feel the UK public have a right to have a say in every private company directors pay packet. If Barclay's was a public run company having taken loads of bailout money then pass judgement but it hasn't so its non of anybodies concern what they pay themselves - leave it to the shareholders...

In a nation well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a nation poorly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.

Actually if I understand correctly, it wasn't the banks in the UK lending to individuals for mortgages and buy to lets that really caused the problem.

All banks were investing enormous sums in foreign companies and other banks which weren't so well regulated as our own.

It then turned out that many of these investments were 'unwise' and wouldn't be repaid which caused many other investments to be scrutinized by progressively paranoid underwriters causing foreclosures in circumstances where continued support would have been more prudent.

After American banks like Lehman Bros took a dive other banks decided that it was also unwise to continue with interbank lending. Because the banks could no longer borrow money, they began to restrict lending to businesses and individuals and tightened up their foreclosure procedures. And the recession was born.

It was a downward spiral from there.

It is just my opinion but I believe panic was father to the recession. If business had continued as usual with a gentle reigning in of the more flamboyant investments over a period of time, I doubt we'd have seen anywhere near the carnage that has ensued.

Think that they would say the figures are based on compound interest and that if you pay back the loan in time that it would be significantly less.

Ahh ok, that kind of makes sense in my non numerical brain.

Was at home last Wed afternoon with the telly on in the background, and there was advert after advert for payday loans, various finance, and "where there's blame, there's a claim" type adverts.

So their target audience are daytime TV people sat glued to the telly, which if not people looking after kids, is going to be a high percentage of non working people.

Just gave me the impression of sharks circling the gullible and vulnerable.

There definitely is a market out there for these companies. Some of the people who take out these payday loans don't have access to other cheaper credit facilities due to bad credit history/scores so they result to taking out these pay day loans.

Think they should be some more education given to people about money management but its also up to individuals to make their own decisions.

Btw thought the government wants to step in on no win, no fee:

BBC News - 'No-win, no-fee' changes announced by Ken Clarke

Yeah I agree to this, Northern Rock suffered quite badly when people started to panic and queuing outside all of the branches to withdraw there money, they then had to be bailed out to prevent them from going under, if these people didn't panic this situation may not have been as bad.