You can be sure that there will be enough cash found in the the end to provide the bonuses and golden handshakes that inevitably follow when people at this level cock it up by just sacking a few thousand at the bottom of the heap.

jerym eedy, caerphilly, U.K.

"Sir Tom says sorry" That's all right then.

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sir Tom and Sir Fred? Why do Herberts such as this pair get knighted in the first place? For services to themselves?

Billy Barnett, HK,

The "Nu Labour" comments are getting a little bit tired. I think everyone agrees that the government hasn't done well in its economic management, but that doesn't stop those like Bob from Cowes sounding a little unimaginative. Start up the rhetoric again when there is a general election to sway!

Liam, London, UK

It's time the Government regulated to make safe 100% of customer's deposits with banks. Then let's see a few banks go out of business, their Chairmen and Directors sacked or imprisoned, and lending made less easy. Why do banks act like they're doing us a favour with our money ?

Nick Andrew, Bristol,

If you manage your finances correctly, then you will not be chargedl. If you have a minor blip in your finances, the bank will almost always refund this as you are a good customer. If you continually spend more than you can afford, you will pay.

Robert, Belfast,

But who agreed to buy the sub-prime scam securities? Why did they do that? Did they receive any inducements to do so? Otherwise why did they do it? The board must have known what was being done. Why do they still get a salary let alone bonuses? Did the auditors ask questions? Someone should have.

Rob Bryant, Bromley, England

Whatever will Gordon and his Nu Labour clowns do now? They can't skim taxes from a loss. I expect we (working middle England) will have to make up the difference.

Bob, Cowes, UK

This company is without a doubt one of the worst that I have ever known as I'm a member of Natwest Bank which is owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland their banking charges are exhorbitant and their customer services department is disgraceful

Barry Stone, Pinner, United Kingdom

A good result given the state of other banks. I cannot see what the whingers here are on about. Banks provide a service to a set of rules. You break them - you pay. Simple.

Richard, Plymouth,

I get a little fed up with people who can't manager their own finances, bleating that they have been charged £35 for, in effect, spending someone else's money without permission. The same people think banks are charities, and should provide all cheque, ATM, debit and credit facilities for free.

Mike, Perth, Australia

Nothing short of astonishing arrogance from the man who took the bank in this disastrous direction at such huge cost.

Via redundancies though it's the poor front line staff who pay for his errors with their jobs while those who remain pick up the work which remains

No doubt Sir Fred gets rewarded

Andy, Chester,

It seemed a bit odd seeing a media advertising blitz for cheap loans from rbs here in Germany.

garryentropy, ettenheim, germany

There are good times and bad times in life. Riding out the storm is the answer and as a shareholder I have every confidence three years down the line this will be a bad memory. Media presentation doesn't always help the markets either.

brian, rosyth, scotland

Let me see - synergy gains of 2.3 billion but ABN writedowns of approx 1.97 billion on consolidation. Seems a poor return on 71 billion investment in ABN. Just what sort of profit is that investment going to return?

Trevor Freeman, Brighton, UK

Greed,pure and simple.

And guess who is going to make up the losses???

Correct !!!!

Keith Rogers, BURY ST. EDMUNDS,

Simon: They do NOT ALWAYS refund the charges! You're in dreamland! If it's a one-off charge, then it's worth asking for it and they'll probably refund it, but if you get charged like a lot of customers one charge and it then spirals out of control into 20 charges, they are most UNlikely to refund!

Jonathan Sklan-Willis, Manchester, England

Bank of Scotland - Remember the old proverb """Never a Lender nor Borrower be """ - All your own own fault I'm afraid. But will you all learn the lesson? The answer is NO of course, because most of us are just greedy ! Yours - Alan Niblett

alan niblett, Bromley, Kent., UK

The Bank customers must be on alert at all times,as the banks are on their old tricks again charging £35 for every overdraft item plus £28 charge.They have to cover their losses and find easy targets.
Don't hesitate to ring or visit them at the local branch and argue. They always deduct the charges.

simon, Doncaster, uk

We've all been hit by the credit crunch, I'm sure they can survive on there £4.4 billion pound profit...

The problem is there've been giving out all this easy credit for years now and raking in the benefits/profits, as soon as there is a downturn in the economy, there bound to be hit!

Andrew, Durham, England

serves them right for being too greedy and buying up other banks which were not value for money

Shahid Raza, Livingston, Scotland