A customer uses a Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) cash machine in Edinburgh, Scotland August 7, 2009.  Royal Bank of Scotland reported more losses on Friday as investment banking profits failed to offset bad debts and the state-owned lender warned of more "poor" results to come before its own and the economy's recovery.    REUTERS/David Moir    (BRITAIN BUSINESS BANKING)– Alexander Smith is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own -

By Alexander Smith
LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) – If Brussels is really planning to force Royal Bank of Scotland  and Lloyds Banking Group to give up small business customers as part of the price for state aid they have received, it will be trying to break a cartel which has persisted despite the best efforts of the British government.

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