The C word in Banking, it's Competition we need
We now have the long awaited plans for reforming the UK banking sector in particular safeguards to try to make it harder for the government to end up on the hook for a big bank and all its risky investment business going down bust.
Unfortunately, once again, increasing competition which businesses in North Wales tell me is the real issue feels like a footnote to the real action on banking reform. But it shouldn't be. A lack of options both on the High Street and beyond is a major supply side factor holding back the flow of lending to the real economy and in particular the small business sector.
Only one in the past sixteen quarters has seen net lending to UK businesses positive whilst the four main business banks hold 85% of business current accounts in the UK. Our own survey results show one third of manufacturers saying viable investments are going unfunded because they have difficulty accessing the credit they need. Organic change is going to take decades to have an overall impact, even if these smaller banks were adding a branch a week.
There have been multiple reviews of the state of competition in banking in the UK over the past 15 years - but definitive action still seems to be lacking. Indeed with respect to business current accounts, market concentration appears to have increased marginally in the last ten years. We think full account number portability should be the aim. Customers are understandably cautious - perhaps moreso than in other sectors - about switching when essential payments depend on systems that have failed too often in the past.
Some in the financial sector might say that account number portability is too hard or that it's not done anywhere else. That seems a strange attitude indeed for a sector that has gone to extraordinary lengths to contort itself in increasingly byzantine financial innovation in search of new customers. Surely, with the right motivation, full account number portability could be cracked by the City.
There may also be a case for considering now whether at least the business current account market should be referred to the Competition Commission. We're not saying definitively that a referral should be made - but rather that the government should consider whether the sum of all its actions is going to add to meaningful enough change or whether a referral is needed.
Older/Newer
« Corporate governance - what will really change? | Energiewende »
89 Comments
Leave a comment
Business authors
David Bailey - Prof David Bailey, Coventry University Business School
My postings |
My feed
Stuart Pemble - Construction Lawyer, Mills & Reeve
My postings |
My feed
John Clancy - Birmingham City Councillor and director of mediafuturesalert.com and justliteracy.com
My postings |
My feed
John Samuels - Professor of Business Finance, Birmingham Business School
My postings |
My feed
Chris Tomlinson - Chris Tomlinson is the founder of social media and online PR agency Friend (frienddigital.com)
My postings |
My feed
Andrew Whitehead - Senior partner at law firm SGH Martineau, leading the firm's Energy & Climate Change practice.
My postings |
My feed
Keith Gabriel - A Birmingham-based PR Account Manager
My postings |
My feed
Beverley Nielsen - Lecturer, Design Management, at the Birmingham Institute of Art & Design, BCU
My postings |
My feed
Mike Loftus - Director of News from the Future Ltd. Writing on the trials of setting up your own business
My postings | My feed
Richard Halstead - Midlands region director for EEF, the manufacturers organisation.
My postings | My feed
Karl Edge - partner at KPMG in Birmingham, specialising in automotive, manufacturing and house building sectors.
My postings | My feed
Peter Owen - Managing director for construction firm Willmott Dixon Midlands.
My postings | My feed
Dr Steven McCabe - director of research degrees for Birmingham City Business School.
My postings | My feed
Francis Greene - Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, at the University of Birmingham.
My postings
Alan Gilmour - Director at Cogent Elliott, experienced in marketing, brand development and customer relationship management.
My postings
Paul Noon - Paul Noon, OBE, West Midlands International Trade Director at UK Trade & Investment.
My postings
Latest Birmingham Post News blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from the midlands give you their opinions on local and national news.
Latest Birmingham Post Lifestyle blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from the midlands give you the lowdown on what's happening in your region and some musings on culture in the UK and beyond.
Latest Birmingham Post Science blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from Birmingham and the midlands inform and entertain on all science matters.
Latest Birmingham Post Sport blog
Birmingham Post staff and guest bloggers from Birmingham and the midlands inform and entertain on all sporting matters.
whoah this blog is wonderful i like reading your posts.
Stay up the good work! You recognize, a lot of people are hunting round
for this info, you can aid them greatly.
Hiya. I noticed your site title, " The C word in Banking, it's Competition we need - Birmingham Post" does not really reflect
the content of your website. When writing your blog title, do you think it's most beneficial to write it for Search engine marketing or for your readers? This is one thing I've been struggling with simply because I want great search rankings but at the same time I want the best
quality for my visitors.
Hello, this weekend is good in support of me,
since this moment i am reading this wonderful informative paragraph here at my home.
I have been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog
posts on this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I finally
stumbled upon this site. Studying this information
So i'm satisfied to exhibit that I've an incredibly excellent uncanny feeling I came upon
exactly what I needed. I most definitely will make certain to
do not forget this website and provides it a look on a relentless
basis.
Hola! I've been reading your weblog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Kingwood Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the good job!
When I originally commented I clicked the "Notify me when new comments are added" checkbox and
now each time a comment is added I get several emails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Appreciate it!
I don't leave many responses, however i did some searching and wound up here The C word in Banking, it's Competition we
need - Birmingham Post - Business Blog. And I actually do
have a couple of questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Is it simply me or does it seem like some of the remarks look as if they are written by brain dead visitors?
:-P And, if you are posting at additional places, I'd like to keep up with anything fresh you have to post. Would you list of all of your shared sites like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
I blog quite often and I really appreciate your information.
This article has truly peaked my interest. I will take a
note of your site and keep checking for new details about once a
week. I opted in for your Feed as well.
I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but great topic.
I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more.
Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this information
for my mission.
hello there and thank you for your info – I have certainly picked
up something new from right here. I did however expertise some technical issues using this web
site, since I experienced to reload the website a lot of times previous to I could
get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is
OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if ads and marketing
with Adwords. Anyway I'm adding this RSS to my email and could look out for much more of your respective intriguing content. Make sure you update this again soon.
This type of very beneficial write-up. Very interesting to see this article.
I would like to thank you for the actual endeavours you'd created for writing this amazing article.
Remarkable issues here. I am very satisfied to peer your article.
Thanks so much and I'm having a look ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
I'm amazed, I must say. Seldom do I encounter a blog that's both educative and entertaining, and without
a doubt, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is an issue that
too few people are speaking intelligently about. Now i'm very happy I stumbled across this during my hunt for something concerning this.
Amazing wewebsite. We enjoyed studying your own content.
This really is truly a fantastic read for me.
I have saved it and that i feel looking towards
reading through new articles. Maintain the nice perform!
Hi! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to check it out.
I'm definitely enjoying the information. I'm bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Excellent blog and superb design and style.
Hi, after reading this amazing paragraph
i am too delighted to share my familiarity here with friends.
Great post. I just located your blog and wished to let you know that I have certainly loved reading your blogs. At any rate I’m going to be subscribing to your feed and I really hope you are writing again soon.http://womencandoanything.com/organic-home-business-2/ "> Organic home business
Undeniably believe that that you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of.
I say to you, I certainly get irked even
as other folks think about concerns that they plainly don't know about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest as smartly as defined out the whole thing with no need side effect , other folks could take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thanks
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts and
I will be waiting for your further write ups thank you once again.
xkly99vpx
you are really a excellent webmaster. The website loading speed
is incredible. It kind of feels that you are doing any distinctive trick.
Furthermore, The contents are masterpiece. you've done a magnificent job on this matter!
I tend not to comment, but I browsed some remarks on The C word in
Banking, it's Competition we need - Birmingham Post - Business Blog. I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.
Could it be just me or does it look like a few of the remarks
come across as if they are left by brain dead folks?
:-P And, if you are posting at additional social sites, I'd like to keep up with you. Could you post a list of the complete urls of your social community sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
Hi there everyone, it's my first pay a quick visit at this site, and post is truly fruitful designed for me, keep up posting such content.
I'm gone to tell my little brother, that he should also pay a visit this webpage on regular basis to take updated from most recent news update.
These are truly impressive ideas in on the topic of blogging.
You have touched some nice things here. Any way keep up wrinting.
I am sure this article has touched all the internet users, its really really nice
paragraph on building up new weblog.
I was recommended this website by my cousin.
I am not sure whether this post is written by
him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You are incredible!
Thanks!
I have been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It's pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be a lot more useful than ever before.
When I originally commented I clicked the "Notify me when new comments are added" checkbox and now each time a
comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way
you can remove people from that service? Many thanks!
Fastidious answers in return of this matter with genuine arguments and
telling the whole thing on the topic of that.
This article is really informative. I enjoy the amount of detail that has gone into this page. I will absolutely be a daily visitor from now on. Dont stop the great writing!tips how to use mobile marketing
Pretty! This has been an incredibly wonderful post. Thank you for providing this info.
great tips!i like this blog so much .I just located your blog and wished to let you know that I have certainly loved reading your blogs.
Important Things About Affiliate Marketing
z4kvcsq57
Hello to all, the contents present at this web site are genuinely awesome for people knowledge, well,
keep up the nice work fellows.
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also
with the structure to your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see
a great blog like this one today..
I love reading biographies and business books, and coming across your page is an additional idea for me in writing my blogs.
I am so amazed with the creating of your blog, such a nice information and very presentable, thanks for making this one, I will definitely bookmarked this one.
This blog was... how do I say it? Relevant!
! Finally I've found something that helped me. Thanks a lot!
Pretty component to content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession
capital to assert that I acquire in fact loved account your
weblog posts. Any way I will be subscribing on your augment
and even I success you get right of entry to persistently rapidly.
Amazing! Its actually awesome article, I have got
much clear idea concerning from this piece of writing.
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is truly informative.
I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you
continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something informative to read?
Valuable information and excellent design you got here!
Great Article it its really informative and innovative keep us posted with new updates. its was really valuable. thanks a lot.
Hey there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I'm using the same blog platform as yours and I'm having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
I do not even know the way I finished up right
here, however I thought this put up was good.
I don't recognize who you're however certainly you
are going to a well-known blogger if you happen to aren't already. Cheers!
Hi there to every one, the contents present at this web site are really awesome for people
experience, well, keep up the nice work fellows.
I like the valuable info you provide in your articles.
I'll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I'm quite certain I will
learn plenty of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
It's appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it's time to be
happy. I have read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you few interesting things or tips.
Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article.
I wish to read more things about it!
I'm amazed, I have to admit. Rarely do I encounter a blog that's both equally educative and interesting,
and let me tell you, you've hit the nail on the head. The problem is an issue that not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. Now i'm very happy I found this during my search
for something relating to this.
Hello, i believe that i saw you visited my blog so i got here to
go back the want?.I am trying to to find issues to improve my site!
I suppose its adequate to use some of your concepts!
!
I don't drop a leave a response, but I looked at through some responses here The C word in Banking, it's Competition we need - Birmingham Post
- Business Blog. I actually do have some questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Could it be just me or do a few of these responses appear
like they are written by brain dead visitors?
:-P And, if you are posting on additional online social sites,
I'd like to follow you. Would you list of the complete urls of your public sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
And the name will be Google blogs.Get ready guys.
I really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us. I assure this would be beneficial for most of the people. And it absolutely useful for me!
Reply
Can't wait until I get the update! It's going to be so much better! ^
Super page, good information. Great Website ! youve been book-marked.
Super page, good information. Great Website ! youve been book-marked.
My brother recommended I might like this website.
He was entirely right. This publish truly made my day. You cann't imagine just how a lot time I had spent for this info! Thank you!
I really appreciate this wonderful post that you have provided for us
Hi there colleagues, fastidious post and good arguments commented at this place, I am in fact enjoying by these.
Hey there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site?
I'm getting fed up of Wordpress because I've had problems
with hackers and I'm looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I definitely enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author.
I will be sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back very soon.
I want to encourage one to continue your great job, have a nice holiday weekend!
It is truly amazing, the whole thing, I just want to say thank you. I look forward to a great article on your website. I love this kind of content. It is so good.mty
Informationen auf Marketing und Werbung ist groß, ich bin für diese Informationen im Internet suchen aus den vergangenen Tagen wurde bereits diskutiert. Jetzt habe ich einige wichtige Dinge habe, werde ich im Auge behalten. Danke diese Nachrichten.mty
First off I want to say great blog! I had a quick question which I'd like to ask if you don't mind.
I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your
head before writing. I've had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or hints? Thank you!
hey there and thank you for your information – I have
certainly picked up anything new from right here.
I did however expertise a few technical issues using this website, as I experienced to reload
the website many times previous to I could get it
to load correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is
OK? Not that I am complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords.
Well I'm adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content. Make sure you update this again soon.
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew
of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest
twitter updates. I've been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
Can you tell us more about this? I'd like to find out more details.
Would love to always get updated great blog ! .
Great, thanks for sharing this blog post great blog, interesting postings
I am not sure where you are getting your info, but great topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for excellent info I was looking for this information for my mission.
Quality articles or reviews is the crucial to invite the users to go to see the
web site, that's what this site is providing.
Howdy would you mind stating which blog platform you're using? I'm
going to start my own blog soon but I'm having a tough time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something completely unique.
P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
I like this website very much, Its a very nice billet to read and get information.
Today, I went to the beach front with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to
my 4 year old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear."
She placed the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off
topic but I had to tell someone!
Magnificent goods from you, man. I have bear in mind your stuff prior to
and you're simply extremely magnificent. I actually like what you've got right here,
really like what you are saying and the way in which during
which you are saying it. You are making it enjoyable and you
still take care of to keep it smart. I can't wait to read far more from you. That is actually a great website.
hreaadbspmjofspujdi, , ABXmwkH.
Howdy! I'm at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!
Join GetConneted360.com to connect with other businesses and professionals to increase your sales and skills.
Really no matter if someone doesn't be aware of then its up to other people that they will assist, so here it happens.
Howdy just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you
know a few of the images aren't loading correctly. I'm not
sure why but I think its a linking issue. I've tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same results.
It's a pity you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate to this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i'll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to
my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and
will share this blog with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
I pay a quick visit day-to-day a few web pages and sites to read posts,
however this blog gives feature based posts.
We are here to help you reach financial freedom trading forex. We work with professional forex traders to bring you quality forex signals.
Thanks for another informative web site. The place else could I get that kind of info written
in such an ideal approach? I have a undertaking that I
am simply now operating on, and I have been at the look out for such information.
Hey there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any problems with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of
hard work due to no back up. Do you have any methods to
stop hackers?
What's up, after reading this amazing piece of writing i am too delighted to share my experience here with friends.
Very good information. Lucky me I recently found your blog by chance (stumbleupon).
I have bookmarked it for later!