Fearless journalist Roberto Saviano, who has dedicated his career to exposing the Italian mafia, has claimed that it is Britain that is the most corrupt country on Earth.The London Economic
Most corrupt country on planet is Britain, says Mafia expert
Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
From just a quick read, he claims Britain is the most corrupt country in the world (he is speaking specifically of corrupt financial institutions laundering nefarious cash flows). He then uses this as his reason why Britian must not leave the EU. This makes no sense; they are in the EU and they are the most corrupt country in the world, therefore they must not leave the EU. Britain can police their corrupt financial institutions IF THEY WANT TO, EU or not.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't think that they will unless they are forced to, e.g., by Germany.
ReplyDeleteThe German financial system doesn't want to compete with the City in a race to the bottom.
Neither does Wall Street. American do their dirty deals out of branch in the City so Wall Street doesn't have to compete with the City, since Wall Street is in the City.
But if the UK were forced to conform to German ordoliberalism rather than practising Anglo-American neoliberalism, that would threaten the goose that lays the golden egg.
BTW, it was Margaret Thatcher who was behind the UK shifting from a manufacturing center to a financial center.
Would the German elite attempt to bridle the British elite? They have been in competition pretty much since the rise of Prussia was perceived as a threat to the British Empire.
So something like this may be the basis for the author's rationale.
Re Jersey and the Cayman Islands (mentioned in that article), you'd expect a left of centre UK government (i.e. a Labour government) to clamp down on those offshore tax havens. I assume that what happens when Labour so much as hints that it might do that, is that a representative from the City of London pays a visit to the Labour prime minister and explains that handling the proceeds of crime makes up about a quarter of the UK’s exports. The prime minister then soils his pants and thinks the better of clamping down.
ReplyDeleteOf course we can’t expect former prime ministers to say anything about that when the retire. That wouldn’t make them look good.
People think that the City Gents are a different type of criminal, i.e., white collar crime, but they are just as ruthlessly and some are a lot more murderous than many. Dealing with organised crime is a very risky business.
ReplyDeleteThis is old news from September last year. It is only getting another airing as there wasn't a EU referendum on the table at that time. It supports Remain so the dead tree press are obliged to run it for their 'masters'.
ReplyDelete"I assume that what happens when Labour so much as hints that it might do that, is that a representative from the City of London pays a visit to the Labour prime minister and explains that handling the proceeds of crime makes up about a quarter of the UK’s exports."
ReplyDeleteHaving watched the History Channel's "Vikings" series I assume that the Brits got the aggressive virus-like idea of living off the proceeds of crime from the Vikings. Only trouble is latest evolutionary thinking says the majority of viruses aren't aggressive but beneficial:-
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v445/n7126/full/445369a.html