Treasury to meet with bankers
Britain’s biggest banks are set to clash with the government today as ministers try to force HSBC, Barclays and Santander to agree to commitments on business lending. George Osborne and Vince Cable are also expected to push for the introduction of net lending targets when they meet with the banking bosses at the Treasury this afternoon. The discussion will also include bankers’ pay and regulation. The coalition hopes banks will sign up to new lending targets that would be higher than existing agreements with the state-controlled RBS and Lloyds.