'Bring back Dad's Army bankers'

Arthur Lowe as bank manager and Home Guard officer Capt Mainwaring

The age of Dad's Army bank bosses

An MP has called for the return of old-fashioned Capt Mainwaring-style bankers while questioning bank bosses at a Treasury Committee meeting.

John Thurso said 99% of his constituents would not care if merchant bankers and arbitrage traders "disappeared down a black hole".

The Scottish Liberal Democrat added: "Could we get back to Capt Mainwaring running a bank we could trust?"

Actor Arthur Lowe played Capt Mainwaring in the sitcom Dad's Army.

The character was a bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander.

Mr Thurso, who represents Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, was among MPs questioning former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chief executive Fred Goodwin, Andy Hornby, former chief executive of HBOS, former HBOS chairman Lord Stevenson and Sir Tom McKillop, former RBS chairman, on the banking crisis.

Responding to the far north MP's Mainwaring comment, Sir Tom said: "Well I recognise that sentiment."