Whistleblower - House of Commons press release - write to your MP now.

[BankFodder]

Immediately after the BBC Whistleblower programme, every Member of Parliament in the country was sent an information pack containing a description of the Yorkshire Bank disclsoures and some examples of actual defences filed by the bank with the court.

Your MP will have received a full pack.

You shouuld now contact your MP and ask him what is his opinion about the contents of The Consumer Action Group Whistleblower pack and what does he propose to do now that the true csts have been revealed.

Contact your MP now.


Write to Andrew George and offer him your support

ANDREW GEORGE MP

HOUSE OF COMMONS

LONDON SW1A 0AA

NEWS RELEASE

Friday 30th March 2007 For immediate release

GEORGE BLOWS WHISTLE ON BANK CHARGES

Banks who charge their customers disproportionate fees for exceeding their overdrafts or writing cheques that bounce are to be targeted by Andrew George MP after a meeting he hosted in Parliament yesterday afternoon with an informant on the BBC ‘Whistleblower’ programme.
The member for West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives has consistently urged Government Ministers and the Office of Fair Trading to clamp down on banks who he says exploit the very vulnerable position many poor customers find themselves in. He will raise further questions with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) about the former Yorkshire Bank employee’s claims that customers were being charged more than £30 for processes – such as bouncing a cheque – that cost the bank less than £2.

Mr George said: “These penalty charges extort money from those who can least afford it. The law is clear in this area. Penalty charges are permitted for the recovery only of losses caused by a contractual breach. Penalty charges which make profit are unlawful under Common Law and The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. “The Government is pushing and cajoling pensioners and benefits recipients away from the Post Office counter and into the arms of the banks with an appalling track record of exploiting the vulnerable position of their poorest customers.”

Mr George met the informant alongside The Consumer Action Group, an organisation established in January 2006 which pursues consumer rights for no profit. Thus far 6,500 members have claimed back unlawful charges worth some £10million from banks.

Mr George is also working with ‘Bob the Bankbuster’, the Cornish bank campaigner Bob Egerton.

ENDS

[cascade]

Gonna write to my MP. Should be funny. The Right Honourable Gordon Brown MP, Dear Goggsy etc: etc:!

[cascade]

Here's what I sent to Goggsy Brown MP.

xxxx xxxxxx
xxx xxxxx Street
Kirkcaldy
Fife
KY1 xxx



Dear Gordon Brown,
Does your Government intend to stop Banks charging upwards of £30 for overdrafts and the like?. You seem to advocate helping the poorest of our society getting out of the quagmire, but your government is helping the banks to fleece the poorest in our society by recommending state payments are made in to a bank account. If you have any doubt about the under hand tactics employed by these members of the financial sector, then maybe you should watch the whistle-blower episode from BBC aired in mid March. As my MP and the future Prime minister, I hope you will give this matter very serious consideration. It is a shameful practice and should be addressed, with urgency.

Yours sincerely,
Cascade

Future Prime minister is a bit presumtuous, but hey! Who knows?.

Any replies will be posted here.

[JulesTools]

Here is my Email to "goggsy`s" right hand man , my local MP Ed balls on the 31st March 2007

Hello Ed,

As you may already know I am a constituant of Normanton and a member of a family that has been actively supportive of the Labour Party for many generations , more so my late Grandmother Mrs[edit] of Sharlston , who may be better known to your predecssor Mr Bill O`Brien,who I thank for his kindness during the last few years of her life.

I thank you for your invitation to your talk regarding the excelent work you are doing for the `Make Poverty History` campaign on the 26th of January 2007. I was unfortunatley unable to attend due to a prior meeting to discuss another matter I am involved with that affects people in a very similar way.

I have been actively involved with the Consumer Action Group since June 2006 who , together with a registered membership of over 130,000 people , are a dedicated group concerened primarily with the dispicable and unlawful actions of the banking system.

I am aware that you should have received an information pack from our group following the BBC Whistleblower programme aired last week. As you are at the forefront of the campaign to `Make Poverty History`I would be very interested to hear your opinions as Economic Secretary to the HM Treasury on the subject matter contained within the `Whistleblower Pack`you received recently . I would also be greatful if you could inform me of your proposals to deal with the matter now that the true costs of the unlawful charges have been revealed.

I feel you are in an excellent position regarding your involvement with the Financial Services Authority and representatives of the financial sector to make a much needed impact on the matter that is affecting the lives of so many people in our area and I know you are commited to standing up for and representing the people in our area. I remember you were at the forefront of other matters such as A Faster and More Transparent Payment System in November last year.

I would be very pleased if you could afford the time to reply to this email personaly and would be happy to discuss the matter at one of your advice surgeries that have become a valuable asset to our community.

I thank you for your time and wish you every continued success.

Julestools[edit]

If you would prefer to contact me by letter or telephone my contact details are as below
[edit]

I today received a message from

HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Road
London
W1A 2HO
Tel:0207 270 5163

Basically saying that

The Private Secrtary acknowledges receipt of our letter dated 5th April(my mail sent 31st March 2007 so I am assuming it has been read and passed onto HM Treasury)and,
This is receiving attention 10th April 2007

A reference number is given for any enquiries so I will leave it a few days and telephone them to check its progress.

Will keep you updated Bankfodder and all.

[cascade]

Here's my reply From Goggsy, signed by the man himself. Came snail mail on commons headed paper.

10 April 2007


Dear Mr xxxxxx,

Thank you for your Email of the 6 April. Afull reply will be sent to you in
due course.

Yours sincerely

signed

Gordon Brown MP

Will post the full reply when I receive it.