Brand’s just a school bully and a prancing millionaire, fumes RBS man caught up in protest
HE had stormed the offices of a bank in the latest publicity stunt for his anti-capitalist campaign. But Russell Brand may now be regretting his attempt to shame greedy bosses over their bonuses.
For the RBS staff who bore the brunt of the millionaire comedian’s protest were ordinary bank workers. And one has now taken the self- styled revolutionary to task, describing him as puerile, a bully and a ‘prancing millionaire’.
In an irate blog entry which has now been shared millions of times online, attracting widespread support, RBS business analyst Joseph Kynaston Reeves savaged Brand’s protest.
Mr Kynaston Reeves, 40, said all Brand and his film crew had achieved was to stop ordinary workers, mostly admin staff, from being able to get back into the office with their lunch.
This was because Brand, who is making a film about the financial crisis with
‘What were you hoping to achieve?’
director Michael Winterbottom, had stormed the wrong office – the traders he was targeting work elsewhere.
Security staff threw the crew out as they barged into the lobby at about 2pm on Friday. Mr Kynaston Reeves, who confronted Brand outside the building, wrote an open letter to the 39year-old comedian – who is believed to be worth £9million – calling him a hypocrite for targeting workers who earn far less money than he does.
And he said he resented being preached to by a celebrity who allegedly benefits from tax avoidance schemes.
In his letter, Mr Kynaston Reeves pointed out that the decision to throw him out of the building because he did not have an appointment was not a ‘global conspiracy’ but ‘basic security’.
‘You know what would have happened if a rabid capitalist had just turned up unannounced? They wouldn’t have been allowed in either,’ he wrote. ‘What were you hoping to achieve? Did you think a pack of traders might gallop through reception, laughing maniacally as they threw burning banknotes in the air, quaffing champagne, and brutally thrashing the ornamental paupers that they keep on diamante leashes – and you, Russell, would damningly catch them in the act? I have no idea whether you could get an appointment. But surely a man who can get invited onto Question Time to discuss the issues of the day with our Lords & Masters is establishment enough to talk to a mere banker.’
He added: ‘I can’t help but notice that you have no qualms about appearing on the BBC in return for money raised through one of the most regressive taxes in the country’ – a reference to the licence fee.’
‘I appreciate that it’s difficult for a celeb to avoid the BBC, even if they’re already a multimillionaire and can totally afford to turn the work down.’
Brand had arrived at the RBS office in London with placards and a billboard of the bank’s former boss, Fred Goodwin, in tow. Accompanied by a camera crew, stormed into the lobby with a megaphone and approached RBS employees to put them on the spot them about their salaries and bonuses.
He had apparently targeted RBS because it continues to pay bonuses even though it is 81 per cent stateowned following the 2008 banking crisis. Video taken during the protest shows Brand posing with a female fan before he tells the camera he is making a film about ‘financial inequality’.
Mr Kynaston Reeves can be seen walking past Brand and saying: ‘You’ve got a few million more than me, mate.’ Brand grabs him by the arm and says: ‘Hold on, I’m not having a go at you,’ before Mr Kynaston Reeves says: ‘You want to talk about inequality? I’m standing here and my lunch is getting cold because I can’t get into my office.’
Mr Kynaston Reeves said in his letter: ‘When you accosted me, you started speaking to me with your nose about two inches from mine. Putting one’s face that close to someone else’s and staring into their eyes is how primates square off for a fight. I can honestly say that the only other people ever to talk to me the way you did were school bullies.’
‘One last thing, Russell. How much trouble do you think Fred [Goodwin] faced last Friday as a result of your antics? How about some of the millionaire traders you despise so much (some of whom are nearly as rich as you, Russell)? Well, no, because you got the wrong ******* building.
‘If you had any self-awareness beyond agonising over how often to straighten your ******* chest-hair, you’d be ashamed.’
The blog post has been shared more than 100,000 times. One supporter wrote: ‘Absolutely brilliant... and spot on.’
Brand, who has faced accusations of hypocrisy for renting a £2million flat owned by a firm based in a tax haven, was unavailable for comment. RBS declined to comment.
For the letter in full see www.dailymail.co.uk/brandletter