RBS bonuses at risk as UK intervenes on Libor fines

Royal Bank of Scotland faces the prospect of scrapping all bonuses for its investment bankers this year to free up cash to pay fines for its involvement in a global interest rate rigging scandal.

The part-nationalised bank, which is expected to face fines of between £400 million and £500 million, is under pressure from UK Chancellor George Osborne to ensure that taxpayers do not suffer as a result.

RBS is expected to be fined up to £100 million by Britain’s financial regulator with the rest being paid to US authorities, sources have said.

Britain's finance ministry wants the US fines to be paid out of money that would otherwise have gone on bonuses.

“Any UK fine will already go to the public, and the Chancellor has made it clear that on this occasion the bill for any US fine should be paid for by the bankers, and not the taxpayer,” a Treasury source said on Saturday.