Bank refuses to honour Cheque Card

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 22nd November 2007
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Gordon Henderson calls for truth over data disc scandal

LOCAL Tory Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, has called on the Government to tell the truth about the loss of two computer discs containing the private and personal details, including bank account details, of thousands of local people who claim benefits.

The discs were sent by unrecorded post from the Tyneside office of HM Revenue and Customs to the National Audit Office in London.

Gordon said:

‘This scandalous and incompetent act will have left many local people concerned about having their identities stolen and their bank accounts accessed.

‘It’s all very well the Government saying that people have nothing to fear, because bank accounts are covered by the Banking Code, but sometimes that code is worthless. For instance I know of shops that have had cheques bounce despite being supported by a bank guarantee card.

‘The banks refused to honour the cheques using the argument that although the signature on the cheque was identical to that on the bank card, both signatures were different to the signature held by the bank. When it was pointed out that the shops didn’t have access to the correct signature, so wouldn’t know that both were forgeries, the banks brushed this logic aside and still refused to pay up! How do we know some banks won’t use a similar get out clause on this occasion? How easy will it be for people to prove that they have been caught up in this scandal?

‘More to the point, how on earth can we trust the reassurances of a Government that refuses to tell the truth about this fiasco? On Tuesday the Chancellor told the House of Commons that the delay in announcing the lost discs was so that banks could put in place security procedures. Now the banks are saying that they did not ask for a delay, indeed, it now transpires that the banks only found out about the loss last Friday and were given until Monday to sort it out. That doesn’t fill me with confidence that the accounts of local people will be properly protected if those discs fall into the wrong hands.

‘We now know that two more discs were lost in the post a few weeks ago. Those discs contained National Insurance numbers. The Government needs to tell the truth about exactly how many people are affected by the loss of those discs.’
….ends….

PC Update

Dear Supporter

A few things PC...and details of Lord Tebbit's important speech on Political Correctness...

PC...

1. A mother in Derbyshire received a letter from her daughter's school telling her to retract her "racist" comments for telling a little girl not to chew on a dark-skinned doll as it was dirty - it had been dropped on the floor and was covered in mud!

2. Veterans were banned from selling poppies in a WH Smith in Bristol by the manager - thankfully this decision was later overturned by senior managers.

3. The Mayor in Chepstow asked soldiers of the Rifles regiment to lay down their guns before marching in the Remembrance Day Parade. Angry veterans said this was ridiculous and the President of the local British Legion said, "The regiment is called the Rifles and rifles are an important part of their uniform....it's like asking the tank regiment to march past on parade without their tanks."

4. Bluewater Shopping Centre has apparently ordered their santas to slim down because they say "Santa Claus is a role model to thousands of children" and that he should be a "responsible icon".

A bit better...

1. The Chief Executive of the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents said "small-minded bureaucrats" were undermining genuine advances in health and safety in their attempts to wrap children up in cotton wool. He went on to say, "We need to prepare our children for a complex, dangerous world in which healthy robust activity is more a national need than ever before".

2. Sir Norman Bettison, the head of West Yorkshire Police, said the "elevated and authoritative status" of health and safety often resulted in it being easier for the police to do nothing in a crisis. He also said, "The armchair perfection of the health and safety Taliban is intent on creating doubt where there was once certainty."

And finally...

Norman Tebbit has kindly agreed to speak to our meeting next Tuesday (20th November 2007) at The Strand Palace Hotel on The Strand (surprise surprise!). This should be a great meeting as many politicians shy away from taking on the subject of Political Correctness - which makes it all the more refreshing when they do. This will be a very important occasion in the battle against PC! A flyer with further details should be attached or you can find out more on the following link:

http://www.capc.co.uk/lord_tebbit_event.htm

The price of £45 includes your free copy of the Second PC Scrapbook worth £8.99 (as soon as it is published) and unlimited wine! If you have a group who want to go please get in touch with us and we will see if we can give you a group discount.

Please keep sending us your examples of Political Correctness at any time - the more information we have the better!

Cheers.

Yours sincerely


Laura Midgley
Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness
www.capc.co.uk
"The Second Politically Correct Scrapbook" out soon - pre-order your copy now!!Please click this link for further details - http://www.capc.co.uk/PC%20_Scrapbook_Main.htm