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Martin Lewis apologies thread

Thought I would start a new thread in which those people who so utterly unbelievably accused/blamed Martin for the Icesave debacle can now offer their formal apologies.

Given this morning's statement from Alistair Darling that Icesave customers will have all (not just £50K, like savers with UK banks do) of their savings protected, it is now time for all those who made rush and irrational comments to come out and eat humblepie.

Come on everyone who made those posts, everyone can made a mistake, it shows character to admit it!
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Comments

  • Very pleased with the Darling announcement this morning (and the fact it was stated with much clarity on TV and radio).

    As for this website and Martin's money tips...

    I have read Martin's statement on what his position was on the matter and I think it is perfectly fair to say that "we were all warned" on this site at least. But it does show how, frankly, you cannot trust all insurance and compensation schemes 100% ever - in this case, the money simply isn't there. So when it comes to large amounts of money, which everyone on this site has enjoyed shunting around for years, it is time to have stability and caution.

    What we all need to learn from this lesson is not to always trust the small print and conditions - if companies go under, and if there's no money in the pot - you can be in big trouble! Credit card stoozers and other scammers (I have been as keen as many others!) need to get their houses in order as soon as possible because ultimately it is all too easy to pick up a hefty loss through being too carefree and tricksy with cash.

    This website needs to change its tone slightly - 'safer than sorry' is the way to go for the next few years at least. Coupons and 'buy one get one frees' are all fine and good, but thousands of pounds can be lost in a blink.

    I can't believe that my 17K in Icesave was, frankly, so close to being lost! I don't believe Darling had to make the pledge to savers though I do know that he has just found himself 300,000 voters for the next election! (As opposed to some really terrible PR towards an election loss).

    Really pleased for those people who've posted on this board like pensioners with 75K in Icesave. It would not be right for the workers and savers in this country to pay for the fact that millions of people across the globe have been living their lives on the back of money they don't have.

    Have a good nap those who've had sleepless nights!
  • stebiz
    stebiz Posts: 6,592 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I haven't slated Martin, infact I have defended him. But I do think it is important that people learn by this. Martin is a journalist. A very good one at that. But he is not an IFA (Independent Financial Advisor). He is merely bringing ideas to the members on here - and good ones at that. But people must make their own decisions and seek independent advice. If anything Martin needs to take this opportunity to highlight this even further than he already does. Okay he recommends fixing the gas/electricity payments - yet the oil is on the way down. Looked great at the time, but now oil is on the way down. Next week it could be on the way back up. He isn't to blame. He hasn't got a crystal ball.

    I am horrified how certain individuals have targeted Martin on this forum.

    Stebiz
    Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies
  • isofa
    isofa Posts: 6,091 Forumite
    innovate wrote: »
    Thought I would start a new thread in which those people who so utterly unbelievably accused/blamed Martin for the Icesave debacle can now offer their formal apologies.

    I complete concur innovate, but sadly I know these people won't - they certainly don't have any strength of character at all. They post constant inflammatory information and slurs, and then disappear quietly when they get what they want.

    Accusing Martin or others for the mess with Iceland is totally ridiculous, and carried out by people that can't take responsibility for their own actions, frighteningly these people are all around us.

    The whole forum has disintegrated into a mess, it needs better moderation to prevent the personal attacks, rudeness and general appalling behaviour.
  • mattytun
    mattytun Posts: 13,920 Forumite
    Rampant Recycler Xmas Saver! Savvy Shopper! Energy Saving Champion
    hi ive never slated martin in any threads but can i just say i think he is doing a bloody good job at keeping us all updated on the iceland banks plus doing radio & tv interviews plus preparing for tonight it pays to watch so i think some should stop jumping the gun and blaming martin for bad info about icesave ...........GIVE HIM A BREAK .:j
    Can't sleep, quit counting sheep and talk directly to the shepherd :cool:
  • Stavros_3
    Stavros_3 Posts: 1,288 Forumite
    isofa wrote: »
    I complete concur innovate, but sadly I know these people won't - they certainly don't have any strength of character at all. They post constant inflammatory information and slurs, and then disappear quietly when they get what they want.

    Accusing Martin or others for the mess with Iceland is totally ridiculous, and carried out by people that can't take responsibility for their own actions, frighteningly these people are all around us.

    The whole forum has disintegrated into a mess, it needs better moderation to prevent the personal attacks, rudeness and general appalling behaviour.

    :T Some of the language used during the night was disgusting.
    Liquidity is when you look at your investment portfolio and **** your pants
  • edwinac_2
    edwinac_2 Posts: 268 Forumite
    For what it's worth, I don't Martin Lewis remotely responsible for the mess people find themselves in with Icesave. However, this fellow......
    isofa wrote: »
    The whole forum has disintegrated into a mess, it needs better moderation to prevent....

    ...better moderation to prevent....the use of multiple identities to create the impression of greater support?

    ..better moderation to prevent...the use of disinformation tactics which saw perfectly rational worries over Icesave, and its future, dismissed as ridiculous "scaremongering"?

    And we should single you out, in particular, isofa, since you personally were responsible for many of the ad hominem attacks on those expressing their concerns about Icesave over these past weeks and months.

    I have no doubt people have lost money because of you, and your desire to safeguard your own (inaccessible) funds at Icesave.

    You were actively encouraging others to invest their own money in Icesave, in the hope that the extra funds would prop it up to your own advantage.

    A lady has posted here only this morning, worried sick that she has lost access to £500,000 of her funds. Even if she gets all her capital back, just imagine what interest she should have been earning every day on that. You can shoulder some of the blame for her loss.
    "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
    -- Thomas Jefferson
  • leviathan
    leviathan Posts: 257 Forumite
    100 Posts
    I'm rather annoyed that we are going to bale out all these fools who took the risks.
    We should give them back their 50K but nothing more. If they didn't know what they were getting into then they deserve to loose it frankly.

    Martin has always given the warnings and any idiot who can read his guides (yes, they are guides you sheep!) can understand the risks invovled.

    Those who have been targetting him for fault deserve to be kicked off the forum and their IP's banned for good. In fact, get off the internet you don't deserve to be here.
    Martin has does everyone on here a great service and deserves nothing but credit for his work.

    Icesave is a prime example of why you must read the small print. It's a shame that people will not learn their lesson from this and most likely this will happen again in a few weeks.

    In this blame culture, try looking in the mirror.
  • I'm glad to say I have nothing in IceSave.

    Martin gives us the benefits of his expertise and experience and tells us 'here is a bank with a good interest rate'. AFAIK he did point out that it wasn't affiliated to the FSCS.

    It is then up to us what to do with our money.

    Myself, I never felt right about trusting my savings to a foreign-based bank in a country with the population of a large UK village. So I didn't go with them.

    Martin shows us the alternatives and as far as he can tells us the risks. But he is not a fortune teller. What we do with our money is ultimately our responsibility and it is most unfair to heap all the blame upon him.
    (AKA HRH_MUngo)
    Member #10 of £2 savers club
    Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton
  • I,M_SAD
    I,M_SAD Posts: 189 Forumite
    I think it,s perfectly understandable at this point that many people will blame Martin,as they are upset,scared and frightened.It will be for a lot of people simply a gut reaction,not everybody can be expected to respond to bad news with acceptance straight away,it,s natural.

    Whilst I would never condone any personal attacks on Martin,he does have a site which promotes financial awareness,you have to be a bit fair to people such as myself who are simply not financially minded,my understanding of world economy is very basic,it,s just not my forte.

    I did have an ICESAVE account after reading about it on here,closed it earlier in year because I am a very nervous person,because I am not able to understand risk as such,and don,t want to take a risk either and when I read about the passport compensation for savings,pulled out,plus embarrassing as I may come across to the savvy,I could not get on with the internet site,I always had difficulties logging in and it bothered me.It was probably more to do with me,but never seemed to encounter problems with other accounts.But fact I hav,nt lost any money,well so far,I am sure my mortgage is going to end up in dire straights soon because I am with HBOS,is more down to my personality and fact I am a worrier and have limited understanding of financial affairs.

    I don,t think unless posters are being inappropriate with remarks that anybody needs to apologise to Martin,as he does earn a living from this site,he does have to have a sense of responsibility,even when the bad times come,because UK,pretty much everywhere are experiencing bad times.I think Martin probably more than anyone is aware of this,I don,t think for a minute he is sat there,really saying well I never made anybody use ICESAVE.I think he is pretty upset actually,I don,t think for a minute he does,nt expect any backlash as like us all we love the glory but never the down times,that,s perfectly normal.However he does promote his education,credentials also on this site,it is his line of work,so some people will be "listening" to him,because we all have different abilities,and we all make our livings in different ways.
    Martin would not be responsible if I lost money with ICESAVE,where I put my savings is my decision ultimately,as everybodies,he has updated the site with protection schemes with banks after Northern Rock,but nobody has a crystal ball in reality,maybe I am very simplistic,uneducated,naiive,but for a lot of people they have been raised if you save and go without then you will have the ability to support yourself in retirement age.I just don,t think as an ordinary working person,who pays taxes,pension,N.I. in a job I give my all too,completely unrelated to financial disasters,in a way,but related to compassion,sadness and is emotionally draining that I have the ability to constantly worry where the gvt. is taking us a country,decisions made,and advocating banks,or allowing banks to operate in UK without a sound protection scheme.The gvt must protect the ICESAVE savers,they must do all they can to help the customers,and I am more than happy to be a part of that with taxes,but I also think the gvt has to get a grip and stop wasting tax payers monies on allowing unsound financial opportunities operate in UK knowing they are over extending.They cannot back out now,customers must get their money back from ICESAVE,everybody should be united in making our economy stronger,not penalising people,or justifying an argument,we have to back everybody who has savings with ICESAVE,because we could all be next.

    I think we should be supporting everybody who has savings with ICESAVE,the families,the people who work to support industry,provide services and want and know they will be on their own in retirement age bar their savings.

    At this point until we have some concrete proof and reassurances an apology to Martin is way down the list of priorities.He is not to blame but have some compassion for people,savers,citizens trying to make a living and I really don,t think now is the time to point score,it,s really not.
  • isofa
    isofa Posts: 6,091 Forumite
    Here we go again, Edwinac, who doesn't reveal who he is (I'm an IT director, as previously posted) is inflaming everything again.

    Who are you? Who are you? you've been asked but never responded.

    I did recommend Icesave, as did hundreds of other posters. I never recommended holding more than 50K if you thought it was at risk. I recommended them from my experience, as of everyone elses (all 300,000 of us) who had great service, support and interest rates.

    You have only yourself to blame, only a child would act in the manner you are.
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