New Complaints Commissioner Appointed

Sir Anthony Holland is to be replaced by Antony Townsend as the Complaints Commissioner on May 1st.

As a FCA appointment, this will probably be yet another drop in from the ‘old boys network’ who sees his role as apologist for the FCA rather than a champion for the consumers they have shafted.

He is off to a predictable start with his first meaningless sound bites; “It is essential that people can have confidence in how the regulation of financial services is undertaken.”

And to add insult to injury; “I want to continue the work of Sir Anthony Holland in ensuring and demonstrating that serious complaints are fully investigated and a fair outcome achieved.”

Meanwhile, the information I requested (under the Freedom of Information Act) about freebies given to FCA staff as potential inducements has yielded a list so long it will take weeks to examine. I may not bother as it is clear that so many companies considered it a sound investment to ‘donate’ countless lunches, dinners, cuddly toys, silver cuff links, bottles of fine wine and Champaign. What did they receive in return I wonder?

If you’ve already signed the petition, and validated your signature by email, perhaps there are others you could ask? Even if you can’t sign, they may be able to.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/63482