Paul Mason's rant against the banks – video
Angry Channel 4 economics editor is 'sick' of banks behaving badly and calls for tougher regulation
A video of the journalist Paul Mason blasting the banking sector has gone viral, garnering him widespread public support.
Mason was filmed standing in a street in central London. "I am actually just sick of that corner," he begins. "That corner over there where RBS HQ is. I'm just sick of it, after six years, why do we keep having to come and do it?"
The Channel 4 News economics editor was referring to yesterday's revelation that five major banks, including RBS, had been fined a total of £2.6bn for fixing foreign exchange rates, the latest in a string of scandals.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He called for tougher regulation of the financial sector and harsher punishments, putting an end to what he describes as "cufflink tweaking" in response to major wrongdoing.
"All we ask, all we can ask, is that the regulators do their job proactively. That they actually get on the case, just like the security guards outside here, and the CCTV cameras there, and the City of London police, they get on the case and stop wrong doing – what's so hard about it?," he asks.
Mason later admitted that the video had only been made after he had a chance to calm down.
But the general public appears to agree with him:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The best books of 2024 to give this Christmas
The Week Recommends From Percival Everett to Rachel Clarke these are the critics' favourite books from 2024
By The Week UK Published
-
Parmigianino: The Vision of St Jerome – masterpiece given 'new lease of life'
The Week Recommends 'Spectacularly inventive' painting is back on display at the National Gallery
By The Week UK Published
-
5 unidentifiable cartoons about drones over New Jersey
Cartoons Artists take on national priorities, national security, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Who might buy Channel 4?
Under the Radar Broadcaster to go up for sale as senior conservatives criticise decision
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Why is Channel 4 leaving London – and where will it go?
In Depth State-owned broadcaster to open ‘creative hubs’ around the UK
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Channel 4 part-privatisation still in the frame
Speed Read Reports suggest Downing Street intervention has now ruled out a full sell-off
By The Week Staff Last updated