Business as usual

John Birkett (Letters, 21 October) was correct to highlight the tendency for businessmen and MPs to deflect their responsibilities with almost casual abandon.

For Sir George Matthewson allegedly to baldly state that the purchase of Charter One was “oversold” to RBS is laughable. What were he and his assistant, Fred Goodwin, doing? Probably what they did when they purchased ABN Amro, ignoring advice.

The BBC investigation into the RBS fiasco further demonstrated the cavalier attitude shown by Goodwin. But to bully very senior colleagues surely epitomises the atmosphere that existed at Gogar and explains why there were three days of rejoicing at Clydesdale Bank on his departure.

There are thousands of former bank employees and shareholders suffering from his megalomaniac attitude.

Surely, it is now time to draw a line under this sorry state by depriving Goodwin of his knighthood as a very small compensation.

Archie Blair

Riverside Park

Blairgowrie