PATRIOTISM AND PENURY

With the forthcoming Olympic Games in the offing the media will be whipping up nationalistic pride and crowds will be singing God Save the Queen and Rule Britannia, but behind this nationalistic nonsense a grim reality is at work. "Britons rack up nearly £14,500 in debt before they consider themselves in serious financial trouble, a study has revealed. Up to 10 million of us owe money, while more than 2.5 million are behind with at least one bill, the charity Money Advice Trust found. Debt problems have soared since the credit crunch began in 2008 and more than two million took out payday loans last year." (Daily Express, 17 April) Perhaps the song we should be chanting is "There's a Pawnshop Round the Corner" RD