The blame game that has been going on for a while has now seen everyone from the government, the bankers, credit agencies, regulators, mortgage brokers, estate agents, the press, the general public, the Americans, the French!, or just men in general bearing the brunt for the credit crunch and ensuing recession.

All of us enjoyed the party and its how you deal with the hangover that really separates the “men from the boys” – or for Ms Harman’s’ benefit the “women from the girls”. However hard the cleanup operation is, however much we convince ourselves that “I’m never drinking again”, we all know that when the good times return, and they will return, no doubt we will all be saying, “Ok, I’ll just have a quick one” and we’ll be off again.

Which brings me on to one of the fundamental proposals over regulation going forward. There has been much debate over the future of the FSA which let’s face it, has been a far from perfect regulator. However, is scrapping it and starting again really the answer? Does the Bank of England really want the job? Is even suggesting that it may be scrapped irresponsible as we need the FSA to be fully focussed now, rather than playing politics just to secure its own future?

Scrapping one body and setting up another will no doubt be expensive, and it means that we will have another period of valuable time spent settling in and learning the ropes, although in all honesty many of those at the FSA now will probably make up the majority of the new entity. Perhaps it would be better to use the experience we have been through now we are high on the learning curve, sit the FSA down with the Bank of England, revisit their defined roles and responsibilities, and deliver a system of governance and regulation that really works.

I believe in second chances, and I do believe, perhaps naively, that no one is going to be able to read the signs of future issues better than those who went through it before and were caught short.

For us as an industry, and I read surveys that 75% of brokers want the FSA abolished, is there not more than a touch of worry that a new system, filled with a keen to impress and appear tough attitude, could actually set us back?

Perhaps we should all let the past go, accept that we all gained from each other and work together for the combined good. Maybe I underestimate the strength of feeling? Maybe I underestimate our maturity at being able to shake hands and say, “we all f***ed up, now let’s get on with rebuilding our lives”. The madhouse has been left behind, consigned to another time.

It is a small world, this crises has shown just how intrinsically linked we all are, and although we will always disagree on the past, it is now time for us to agree on the future.

Whilst we all battle with the mundane tasks of trying to earn a decent living, others are battling for basic human rights.

I know some will say you are not meant to mix these blogs with anything other than professional work issues, but I disagree. I have never been a conformist and for me the point of blogs is to be honest and speak about whatever is on your mind. I believe people appreciate honesty and want to be communicated with, rather than sold to.

Saying all this, perhaps I should question a few things. Like why are lenders rates really rising? My colleague Rob Gill has done an excellent piece on why the cost of funding has increased which you can read here, but can lenders really confirm the margins they are making on each deal. Brokers have to confirm the commission they make on a mortgage loan so why can’t lenders also detail it? Just an average will do.

Also, why do lenders not offer brokers the same products you can get directly through their branch network? In fact why do they even not like brokers introducing the business to them even without any payment? Is it so they can prop up an antiquated branched based system and cross-sell products without independent advice that may be more expensive than a decent broker could offer?

If you want to be really cynical, is it just a move by lenders to try to reduce the power base of brokers? As agents for our clients, we constantly question, demand better service, innovate and push lenders on our clients’ behalf. Try going direct to a lender like HSBC and many will complain about tedious levels of service.

Alternatively, as trust in brokers is high at the moment, whilst we all know where trust in banks is at, is this a way of trying to redress the balance? Accusing brokers of not recommending products we are not allowed to sell anyway?

I know I am playing devils’ advocate here, but sometimes it is hard to just blindly accept the “just passing the cost on gov” argument, and I empathise with the lenders more than the majority. I understand the issues they face and how hard many are working within these institutions to make things better.

Today, however, I feel like asking these questions, although they are insignificant compared to questions being asked in more serious situations.

Today, our thoughts are with all those battling injustice, and especially with the family of Neda Soltan, the young women shot for no apparent reason.

So today, maybe stand up for something you believe is right, challenge something you have not had the guts to challenge before, question those who you believe are doing the wrong thing, give those in authority you believe are not acting for the greater good a hard time, respectfully of course. You may just find it liberating.

Today, we are all Neda.