Commentators have been quick to dismiss plans for a UK business bank. Too quick, in fact. Business secretary Vince Cable's vision of a government-backed lender would offer a reprieve to the country's banking sector, and is worth pursing. Its objective might be to improve funding options for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). But it could also increase the market share of the so-called challenger banks, and create some much-needed distance between the big four and SMEs – in June the banks admitted to having mis-sold interest rate swaps to the corporates in question.
September 24 2012