Which is why the 2011 bonus for Stephen Hester, RBS's chief executive, is such a lightning rod for discontent in the UK, even though he was actually running a commercial property company, British Land, when the bankers' risk-taking party was at its frenzied peak (and see my post of last night for more on this).
Crucially, my source believes a deal with Esquerra Republicana, the centre-left pro-independence party which increased its share of the vote last night, "has to be possible" as there is "no other alternative".