Re:

Not surprisingly, at this stage, those actually running the banks found their nerves and judgement extremely tested. They did not know the scale of the crisis they faced and yet had quickly to reach some very tough decisions about the government's involvement in their businesses. HBOS's chairman was my old friend, Dennis Stevenson. I did not speak to him, or his chief executive Andy Hornby, at this stage but later he described to me the `perfect storm' that had engulfed their business. I also knew the Lloyds TSB chairman, Victor Blank, because he also chaired the company that owned the Mirror newspapers. Victor, rather unfairly I thought, did not survive his bank's merger with HBOS following an outburst of shareholder discontent. In the case of RBS, there was a wholesale and deserved clear out of executives and board members with Stephen Hester coming in as new chief executive. In Stephen's case, it was striking to me, just as in politics, what a difference the strength of personality and calm people skills of a business leader can make to perceptions of their business. The same was true in the case of Stephen Green of HSBC and Peter Sands at Standard Chartered, and John Varley at Barclays.

so if I re- do the beginning, you like the rest ?

i like it„ I don't like

This book is part candid autobiography and part history and describes what motivated me and made me tick as I played( PLAYED) 'third man' to two Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It is about why things happened, not just what happened. The rise, fall and future of a political phenomenon( you ? ) that governed Britain for thirteen years. And what happened to me and my life during this roller coaster ride. This book is one third aurtobiogrphy, one third history, and one third opinion. .It describes my various roles , my motivations and my views as the third man in NEw Labour. Tony and Gordon and I crafted a political phenonmen that governed and guided Britain for thirteen years. . This book will hopefully shed some light on how decisions were made in addition to describing there outcomes. It is about my life my role and my participatition in this once in a life time ride.