Bank chiefs in pay scandal

Fat cat bank chiefs have been handed record pay rises.

They come despite growing anger at huge profits made by banks through swingeing charges.

At one bank, the Abbey National, boardroom pay and bonuses rose by up to 176 per cent in one year.

Typically bank chiefs are enjoying rises of 15 to 20 per cent when average earnings in Britain are rising at four per cent.

Eddie Weatherill of the bank customer group IBAS, said Britain's leading bankers were "plundering" huge packages "while using every trick in the book to fleece customers".

The accounts show that the total salary, bonus and benefit packages paid to directors at the big banks will exceed £ 50million this year for the first time. That is the equivalent of a £1.25 "fat cat" charge for every adult bank customer in the country.

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