Lunchtime Links: Vince, George and the fat fissure over bonuses

UK banks have the snow to thank. This afternoon, they were supposed to be meeting George Osborne and Vince Cable to discuss the tricky subject of reducing bonuses and increasing lending, but the meeting's been called off because George is stuck in snow.

This is just as well, because Vince and George seem to be singing from a totally different carol sheet.

Vince went on TV yesterday and gave the impression that he's prepared to ensure that banks in the UK are obliged to disclose how many large bonuses they're paying even if this obligation doesn't exist elsewhere. According to the Telegraph, he also intimated that the bonus issue for the Tories is like the student fees issue for the Lib Dems - awkward, but one on which they need to accept compromise.

George Osborne, however, does not seem to be assuming a compromising position. He is stuck in snow because he's been in the US, schmoozing the likes of Jamie Dimon, James Gorman and Lloyd Blankfein, with the explicit intention of getting them to increase their headcount in the UK. It's hard to see this happening if Vince gets his way.

Shareholders are questioning the viability of HSBC remaining headquartered in London (Telegraph)

JPMorgan is committing to London and moving 11,000 people to Lehman's old building in Canary Wharf. (Bloomberg)

Hedge funds are paying bonuses early to avoid the new compensation rules. (Telegraph)

A better way of cutting pay at RBS. (Pestowire)

Astbury Marsden says bonus disappointment could prompt great job searching in the New Year. (Financial News)

At least 16 of the most senior AIB capital markets executives filed new High Court (bonus) cases last Thursday and Friday, using the law firm Whitney Moore. (SundayTimes)

A senior official in Bank of Ireland was paid a 'secret' bonus worth €500,000 in the past few weeks without the knowledge of finance minister Brian Lenihan. (The Journal)

This is the mindset of the ambitious educational elite: You go to Harvard (or Stanford), maybe to Oxford (or Cambridge) for a Rhodes (or Marshall), then to Goldman (or McKinsey, or TFA), then to Harvard Business School (or Yale Law School), then back to Goldman (or Google), and on and on. (BaselineScenario)

Unfortunately, Bob Crow, you cannot wipe out government debt with a 1p tax on every text message. (Guardian)

Everything you've ever wanted to know about Michael Geoghegan. (Telegraph)

5As at A level (2 of them A*) required for the mathematical computation degree at Imperial. (SundayTimes)

Marriage makes you fat. (Reuters)