why is the disgraced boss of Northern Rock being paid £1,000,000 ???

Can anyone else imagine a mode of employment where, if your actions have led to the complete failure of your business, you would be allowed to leave with anything more than the shirt on your back? Apparently, in the world of high- (and now low-) flying management you get given a cosy million for sinking one of the UK's biggest banks with your ineptitude. If anyone can justofy this to me then please try because I am utterly staggered at the arrogance on display here? This is exactly what 20 years of neoliberalism has done to the UK- disgraced corporate figureheads, like disgraced politicians, are immune to the law of the land that demands accountability for your crimes. Remember the Hamilton's? Seen them in the dole queue? How about Jeffrey Archer? Derek Conway? Jonathan Aitken? (An interesting aside- try googling "disgraced tory" and see how many different names pop up. )

I could do the same ofr the corporate world but I'm bored now- I think you get the gist.

Seriously- a million! I won't earn that much in my entire life in research, unless I work myself like a bitch to make it to professor one day- and believe me, that ain't worth it! It seems that, if you want to earn megabucks these days, discarding any ethics and scruples you may have is the first step. Which is a victory in the first place for those who wish to perpetuate the sordid status quo of our little planet.