FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE... YOU'VE HAD 13 YEARS TO SORT THIS OUT!

Gordon Brown promised to ban credit card firms taking advantage of customers by increasing interest rates, as part of a crackdown on what he described as "sharp practices".

He also wants to introduce new rules designed to prevent irresponsible lending.

This was announced in his weekly podcast, of which I was blissfully unaware, until I came across it in the Telegraph.

He promised to empower and protect consumers, and to make banks and credit card companies behave responsibly and act fairly. He said that he would re-write the rules on lending to end the sharp practices. Lord love us.....

He also promised a statutory right to reject interest rate increases... although I’m damned if I can see how that will work. Then Brown warbled on about “being on your side”.... what a bloody joke! The only side he's on is his...and it's his BACKside!

"Never again”, he wittered, “should banks and credit card companies encourage you to borrow more than you can realistically repay." Wow... that's a novel idea. I wonder where that came from.

Brown announced a new 'money guidance service' which would be funded by the banks, and prophesied that it would help a million people choose financial products and deal with debt.

It’s a bit like the reform of the Lords which has suddenly been announced now that he has heard we’re ever so slightly miffed that their Noblenesses are getting away with benefit theft unlike people who have only red blood, who get 6 months in stir.

You want to ask yourself just how long has this man been in government? Just how long has he had his hands on the purse strings? For how long was he Chancellor and for how long the First Lord of the Treasury? Has he in any of these positions overseen the banks and their dodgy practices?

The words: Forth, we, a banana boat, up the, in, came up, and, ......and the somewhat dubious question “do you think? all come to mind! He really must think we are all as thick as....well...er... you know.