Shame on British banks

Few British journalists have done more than Peter Oborne to highlight the plight of Zimbabwe. I commend his excellent article calling us to action in this week's Spectator.

Oborne describes how a German company, Giesecke & Devrient, is helping Mugabe through its printing of trillions of Zimbabwe dollars which is helping prop up the collapsing economy. If the EU were serious in opposing Mugabe it obviously would not tolerate this.

Giesecke & Devrient has 'key accounts' with British companies including RBS, Group4Securicor, the Post Office, HBOS and my bank, HSBC. Each of us should be using our power as consumers to apply pressure to corporations helping keep Mugabe in power. I'm calling HSBC to ask why they are doing business with Giesecke & Devrient.

5pm update: Ivor Godfrey-Davies, HSBC's Head of Group Corporate Relations, has just called. He promised to clarify what, if any, links his company has with G&D and get back to me next week. Having contacted all the firms listed above, I will post the responses I get next week.