Ethical Banks (was Ethnic Banks)

cheerfulcat

Both Tesco and Sainsbury make donations to all of the main ( and some smaller ) parties.

margaretclare

Andy_L wrote:

Are you going to avoid Sainsburys & Tescos for the same reason?

I avoid both of them just because I dislike supermarkets! They're too big, they take ages to walk round.....that's just for starters.

I use local shops wherever and whenever possible. That's when they still exist, where they haven't been killed off by a supermarket opening.

Margaret Clare

gingercordial

Blimey, I thought this was meant to be about bank accounts...

homersimpson_3

let's put this thread back on track with a question or too
a) is there a list anywhere which shows how much banks etc contribute to political parties
b) with building societies people who have accounts are apparently members and thus owners of it. is there any way we could as member stop the building society giving the money to political party and giving it back to us via increasing interest on savings etc

Chrismaths

a) Gifts to political parties over £5,000 must be disclosed by the political party in question.
b) If you proposed a motion and got it carried at the annual meeting, no reason why not.

Optimist

homersimpson wrote:

let's put this thread back on track with a question or too
a) is there a list anywhere which shows how much banks etc contribute to political parties
b) with building societies people who have accounts are apparently members and thus owners of it. is there any way we could as member stop the building society giving the money to political party and giving it back to us via increasing interest on savings etc

A. You should get most of that information from the Electoral commission assuming the parties are honest and declare it! Or the banks themselves will put it on their accounts.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regdpoliticalparties.cfm

B. In practical terms probably not other than making your displeasure felt at the AGMs or trying to vote out the board members but public companies tend to rely on the fund investors to vote with them and building societies rely on apathy

realaledrinker

The Co-operative Bank/smile does NOT make a donation to any political party. They do, however, run the Labour & Lib Dem credit cards & there is a kick back from that, in the same way charity cards & other affinity cards operate

cheerfulcat

realaledrinker wrote:

The Co-operative Bank/smile does NOT make a donation to any political party. They do, however, run the Labour & Lib Dem credit cards & there is a kick back from that, in the same way charity cards & other affinity cards operate

The Co-operative bank is part of the Co-operative Society. The Co-operative Society has very close links with the Labour Party; it also organises the Co-operative Party, which donates money to the Labour Party.

margaretclare

cheerfulcat wrote:

The Co-operative bank is part of the Co-operative Society. The Co-operative Society has very close links with the Labour Party; it also organises the Co-operative Party, which donates money to the Labour Party.

I'm very glad that they don't make a donation to any political party. If individuals choose to donate to their favourite political party that's fine - we can all donate to anything we choose - but if my bank does so, without my having a say the matter, that would be different.

I like Smile and I don't mind them being part of the Co-operative Society. It was the 'donation' idea that I didn't like.

Margaret Clare

cheerfulcat

I like Smile and I don't mind them being part of the Co-operative Society. It was the 'donation' idea that I didn't like.

So it's OK for the parent company to make the donation? Not arguing, just asking.