King Pin

OK, so there have probably been enough column inches written about Northern Rock in the past week to shave another few inches off the ozone layer (in lost foliage), so I'm not about to try and get on the bandwagon after the horse has bolted. Or words to that effect anyway.

Mervyn King has been the latest public figure to have rocks thrown at him, this time for his alleged mishandling of the whole affair. "His reputation is in tatters" reads one red top. "His resignation imminent" reads another. It struck me, as I am often prone to saying, that reputation is about perception. So, if I went out on the street and canvassed people's views on Mr King, I wonder what their perception would be ? Well, of those that know who he is (!), I'm sure most would remember him for offering to secure Northern Rock's customer's savings. Very admirable. So precisely who thinks his reputation is in tatters ? Well, listening to the rather verbose bunch of MP's who barracked him like he was a market stall holder, there are clearly those who think he is one step away from being King Pin, not King of the Bank.

A lesson learned in reputation. Your reputation only matters to those who matter to you. From the very impressive, and often dismissive, responses provided by Mr King, he obviously values his moralistic standpoint far more than a few B-list MP's trying to dig up some dirt. I'm sure Mrs Geordie from South Shields couldn't agree more.