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A change in fortunes... Canary Wharf’s out in force to cheer new boss
Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter13.10.08
HAVING taken control of half of Britain's high street banks this morning, Gordon Brown did what any CEO would do — he paid them a morale-boosting visit.
The Prime Minister arrived in Britain's banking capital Canary Wharf to address his new troops, or at least the chiefs of Britain's biggest banks.
Wearing a dark blue suit, purple tie and looking — dare one say it — in charge, he strode into the headquarters of Reuters in the shadow of Canary Wharf tower to meet the Masters Of The Universe, some of whom still run their own banks.
After 45 minutes he emerged to find a sizeable crowd of City workers had gathered to catch a glimpse.
Maybe because he is now the boss of so many of them, only one onlooker heckled. “Mr Brown,” he shouted, “What have you done for us?”
Just a few weeks ago when he was billed as Britain's most unpopular Prime Minister ever, an appearance by Mr Brown would have attracted an army of dissenters.
Instead he was also greeted by a burst of non-ironic applause. Watching, Michael Kirkwood, at 61 a financial veteran, was voicing his approval of today's historic measures.
“I truly never thought I would see banks effectively nationalised,” said Mr Kirkwood, adding: “I think Gordon Brown has very clearly understood that Government has to keep ahead of the wave.
“The important thing now is the markets listen to what the Government is saying and start operating with a higher degree of rationality and normality.”
David Jones, 37, who works in the Canary Wharf HQ of Barclays — a bank that has so far rejected the Government bail out — said: “I think Gordon Brown has the experience no other prime minister has and we are quite lucky to have that level of leadership and I am not even a Labour supporter.”
Not everyone was quite so impressed.
A US banker, who gave his name only as Christopher, sniffily walked past, saying: “What this means is the Government, which is far less capable of running a business than the businessman, is now in charge of the banks.”
