Day 2138: Unfair Farepak

Saturday:


Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. And has apparently been stolen by Halifax Bank of Scotland.

This is a TERRIBLE story about people whose Christmas will be ruined because the Farepak Christmas savings club has gone bankrupt.

These good people have been doing exactly what everyone says that we should: putting a little bit aside each month in savings in order to be ready for Christmas and not to have to add to the trillion pounds of debt that the nation has managed to run up.

The rumour is that the company's bank knew that they were in trouble months and months ago, but allowed them to keep on running so long as they were getting the savings money in – thus reducing the amount of the bank's money that would be lost, at the expense of mummies and grannies the length and breadth of the country.

The company bosses Sir Clive Thompson and Mr Nick Gilodi-Johnson have said how sorry they are and blamed it all on the bank!

The bank – you will not be surprised to learn – denies this entirely and blamed it all on the company bosses.

STOP SQUABBLING! YOU'VE ALREADY RUINED CHRISTMAS!

MP's discussed this in the House of Commons and Mr Iain McCartney called on them to donate just one day's pay each to a fund to help the victims.

News came in later that Tesco and Marks & Spencer's would also be making donations and Sainsbury's will be sending Christmas vouchers to Farepak savers.

Apparently SHAMED by the news that even our so-called fat-cat greedy MP's were being more GIVING than they were, and not at all because of the CALAMITOUSLY BAD PUBLICITY they were generating, HBOS agreed to donate £2 million out of their profits of £4800 million to try and stop themselves from looking completely sh…ort of generosity!

And only a day too late to do any good, then.


Not to be left behind, MSP's in Scotland – where there are many more Farepak savers – will also be holding a debate and will also be recommended to donate a day's pay.



Now for another TERRIBLE confession: Bad Daddy Richard has his savings in a Halifax savings account. Oh dear.

So where should he move them to?

Meanwhile, if you have lost money to Farepak and HBOS, you might want to look at these tips from the Money Saving Expert.


What they really need is ROBBIN' HOODIE to come and rob from the rich and give back to the poor.

Oh, I seem to have forgotten to bother to get Daddy's review this week!