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[MSE Lawrence]

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "On Parliament TV – Giving evidence at Treasury select committee" Blog.

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[Foxington]

I think you did right losing your rag a bit with that guy, he was being deliberately awkward!

A huge thank you for fighting this on others behalf

[poorbutrich]

I heard some of this quite early one morning last week on the Today programme.

Martin, you did a great job and it did make me laugh to hear the chairman berating one of the bankers for not putting forward any figures whatsoever!

[borders_dude]

I always find select committees riveting viewing on BBC Parliament!

[Zyyb]

Brilliant Martin, really well argued! You seemed remarkably calm and cool, the 5 who come after you are such weasels!!

Getting so frustrated to them, cutting the 7% figure down, the reason they can't say why it's less then 7% is because each company scores different and we dont know how they do it. Covering up the figures by keeping the credit scores secret!! The Comittee should ask for the credit tables..

The BBA talks about checking account behaviour, so what if you want to shop around? New banks wont have your account activity, so they can't check that! Grr

[JDPower]

Saw this when it was posted on the previous thread on the subject. My personal favourite moment was the woman in the second section when asked how many credit searches would be involved if he he bought a house, new car, car insurance, house insurance, changed electricity provider.

Her response, "A proportion". Well thanks for such an enlightening answer

Oh and is it just me or is the link missing from the blog article? He says "I wanted to post the link below in case any one wants to see it" but it's not there.

[Gnomemeister]

I'm on pay as you go mobile broadband whilst I move house so I didn't want to watch too much of the video, your tone and the way you were making speeches to them wasn't perhaps the most diplomatic approach but it certainly gets the message across, I think I recall reading mention that you were on your University's debating team, I represented youth in my area when I was younger in parliament on occasion and would've been glad to have you on my side, as you are now .
I didn't see his name, but one member of that committee was almost acting as if he had a vested interest in things staying as they are (to the extent that I think he weakened any defence he might've otherwise offered them!). When he asked for unobtainable figures, and then tried to make out this issue could be affecting as few as 1,000 people... what an !!!.
Far as I'm concerned, if this is acting to the detriment of 1,000 people on low incomes, and they're ending up paying 30% instead of 7% (or whatever) then that's potentially 1,000 broken homes; people commit suicide, turn to drugs, ruin their marriages, fall into depression and other mental problems, over money troubles, and repaying a 30% loan on a low-income sounds like a definite recipe for money troubles, so whether it is 1,000 people or 10,000,000 people that're seriously affected by this issue, something needs to change.

[jeycon]

Martin,

I would say that you performed most professionally in front of that committee. I don't believe that you were out of order in any way. You were strong in your delivery because you are passionate about what you believe in. You value fairness and you are entirely up front with everything that you do with moneysavingexpert.com.

It comes across to me that some members of that committee may have vested or other interests or you may have just ruffled a few feathers. I think we have to remember that the financial institutions have a big lobby group at Parliament too!

Overall well done with your performance at this event and I do hope the members consider the situation very carefully and put some of your ideas to action. I liked the bit about financial education for the youth!

Keep up the good work!

[MothballsWallet]

Watching this at the moment. I think both Martin and Toby did well. However, some of those MPs on the committee seemed to think they could speak to others like we live in the Stalinist USSR: last time I checked, we don't.

Also, why do we have at least 4 credit reference companies in this country (Equifax, Experian, Callcredit and Aristotle, iirc)? Doesn't that just increase the chances of them screwing your file up?

[melancholly]

i don't really understand why the first MP asked such an antagonistic quetsion! after that, it seemed that they wanted to listen and thought it was a concern, but what an odd way to start things off!

(i think that was officially a rant though - but a justified one!)

now to watch the next sections!

[mattytun]

Well done martin

[Joe_Bloggs]

I was impressed by the whole occasion. Martin and sidekick did extremely well in getting a difficult point accross. The most disappointing aspect was the lack of interest from the OFT? Their attitude seemed to be that they should not get involved.
Some sort of screen credits should have been provided for the participating individuals.

John McFall (chair) came across as assured and just.
J_B.