One of the best rules for life is “don’t get involved in other people’s arguments”. So what does our government want to do? It pushes and pushes to arm part of one of the sides in Syria’s internecine strife. It’s not exactly as if they are sure where these weapons will end up or if they are protecting a UK interest or even if it is our business to do anything beyond humanitarian aid.

I spent the holiday weekend scratching my head on this one. The answer is either because Whitehall is stuck in the Imperial Colonial mindset or more likely that by sending in arms we can boost our defence industry in the face of cuts and uncertainty elsewhere. After all, oversea aid has been ringfenced and no doubt that is where the money for the bullets will come from.

Do the words “Iraq” and “Aghanistan” ring familiar?

It’s that time of the year again, when M & S explains that although clothing sales have fallen food is up blah blah blah. But the issue here is not really about Marks and Spencer, it’s a conundrum that faces many of your clients – the squeezed middle. I’ve been there and it’s not pleasant territory to be in and if it is not recognised and dealt with the results ain’t pretty. So get your thinking caps on….

Lord Lawson has hit the nail on the head with Europe. I was thinking how 10 years ago I was sprouting forth that the EU was not good for us and we mustn’t join the Euro . On the latter I was vindicated for exactly the reasons I was saying it. On the former, hopefully the more” big guns” with the guts to speak up , the sooner I will be vindicated there too. He goes further than me by stating that the opportunities lie in Asia not the EU  It’s the elephant in the room.

But what it did get me wondering was, why did an ordinary bloke like me see what could happen so far ahead of the insiders ? The answer is quite possibly that those in power were pressing ahead to make a name for themselves rather than the greater good of the country. So nothing new there then.

Earlier this month the bigwigs from the Co-op bank were trumpeting about how their bank was in fine fettle and today it seems the viability of the bank is being called into question. So, how does a leader in “ethical banking” explain the sudden deterioration of fortune?

Simple, you pick and choose your ethics. You stand on your soap box and shout how you don’t invest in this industry or that industry, but you don’t come clean about your finances and whether or not you are a going concern.

Ethics is not a la carte – it’s all or nothing.