英伦广角 2009-02-08 布朗是致使HBOS走向瓦解的"罪魁

So who knew what, when and where do we point the finger of blame? The paper trail is working its way up Downing Street as allegations threatened to become corroborations. The charge is that Gordon Brown as chancellor¹ knew that HBOS was taking risks and failed to do anything about it. Paul Moore the whistleblower says he has proof. The Prime Minister says there is nothing to prove.

"The reason that HBOS fell was not because of these specific allegations and the result of them。The reason it fell was because of its business model, its whole business model was wrong."

But not so, says Mr. Moore who claims to have 30 documents which showed that responsibility lies firmly at the feet of Gordon Brown. In a statement to Sky News last night, he said that “I have detailed² corroborative³ evidence that supports my allegations, and I maintain in the strongest possible way that the KPMG report that Gordon Brown, the FSA and Sir James Crosby rely on will not withstand truly independent public scrutiny⁴.”

 

It could very well be just the evidence that the opposition⁵ has so desperately⁶ wanted in order to link Gordon Brown to the financial crisis.

"These papers, if they bear out what Mr. Moore says will certainly be valuable ammunition⁷ for the Tories, in what they have been trying to do is link Gordon Brown directly to the failure of the banks to say that this crisis happened on his watch, and as chancellor he failed in the key job of monitoring and regulating the banks."

 

And the dark cloud of nationalization still hangs ominously⁸ over the Lloyds Banking⁹ Group. It's today defended decision to award bonuses to retail¹⁰ and commercial staff. But the troubled tie-up between Lloyds and HBOS is being criticized as a shotgun marriage.

The reason that Paul Moore's allegations are potentially so important is because for the first time in this financial crisis, accountability is creeping up towards the door of No.10, But at this stage they are still just allegations and some might say, from a man who has an axe¹¹ to grind against a company who sacked him, it also remains¹² to be seen just what are in those dirty documents that he intends to make available.

 

Alistair Bunkall, Sky News, Downing Street.

 

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 corroborative   

adj.确证（性）的，确凿的

参考例句：

• Is there any corroborative evidence for this theory? 是否有进一步说明问题的论据来支持这个理论？
• They convicted the wrong man on the basis of a signed confession with no corroborative evidence. 凭一张有签名的认罪书而没有确凿的佐证，他们就错误地判了那人有罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

8 ominously   

adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地

参考例句：

• The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘（部分）

9 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

10 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

11 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。