Venetia Thompson

The masters of the universe have turned to drink

The failure of the $700 billion bail-out has driven her former City-boy chums to despair, says Venetia Thompson. But they must rally soon to keep the market moving

issue 04 October 2008

It’s possible to get a reservation again at Scott’s. The City boys have well and truly left the building, and can now be found drowning their sorrows elsewhere, in dark corners of the West End and Chelsea, as far away from the prying eyes of the City as possible. ‘“Reduce your risk. Sell. Get flat.” But all I could think about was the school fees and the new kitchen, and how there’s just no recovering from this.’ I was looking into the pained eyes of a former master of the universe, who had until recently stared the credit crunch in the face and laughed. He was now on his sixth (house) whisky and mumbling incoherently about getting buried by Wachovia earlier that day. As he staggered off down the Kings Road, his departing words were simply ‘stupid Yanks’.

Stupidity aside, we have at least learnt this week that it is unwise to ask US Congressmen and women to vote on anything significant, or look at the wider implications of their decisions five weeks before they face re-election.

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