Why the furore over Sir Fred Goodwin's pension? We all should know there are people in this world who will take anything that comes their way, always have and always will.

It is for those we elect to ensure every cog in the machine of capitalist society is better protected from the predatory instincts and actions of the most trusted and most at liberty to serve self-interest, no matter the presumed integrity afforded by title and privilege of the administrators of the nation's funds.

What a dilemma – those elected by us seem just as intent on ignoring every moral in the rush to feather their own nests. How can we rely on them?

In my lifetime, successive governments have increasingly nullified, virtually disbanded, the system of payment by cash in this country and allowed commerce to make it almost mandatory for people to complete most necessary transactions through bank accounts.

Not satisfied with the dubious practice of playing with clients' money during its three to five-day disappearance in the "clearing banks", the bankers' greed was permitted to run riot and gamble the savings of others on highly volatile and, it has transpired, often untouchable investments.

Politicians of both major parties must shoulder all the blame; this Government, because they have held office and herded us into this mess, and the Conservatives, because any clear thinking person knows things would have been no different under them, perhaps worse.

The plebiscite is entitled to be assured that the next ballot box gives us the right to elect someone to watch the politicians!

Brian L Viner South Cerney Gloucestershire