I just tried to make a bank payment from my account using internet banking, only to receive a message, after I had put in all the details, that if I wanted to make the payment online I would have to call. I would have to call between 8am-7pm Monday to Friday? How is this an online payment if I actually have to call the bank to have it processed?

Of course, they also suggest other payment methods are available such as cheque (Doh!), debit or credit card. As if consumers are able to accept debit or credit cards! Grrrr.

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The rate of corporation tax for small companies is set to increase by 3% while the rate for large companies is set to decrease by 2% under the Chancellors 2007 Budget.

Gordon Brown explains the increase in the small company tax rate as a deterrent to tax motivated incorporation. This is where a person incorporates a company and provides a contract for services to another company, rather than being employed directly by them. This enables the "employee" to pay themselves dividends rather than salary and thereby avoid having to pay national insurance.

However, the practice is legislated against since 2000 when the government introduced IR35 so that this budget increase is just simply bad news for genuine small companies taking on board the personal risk of running their own company. Rather than encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit this is another disincentive to leave paid employment and start a business. The little profit you make will be cut by another 3% while larger companies can continue to grow and put small companies out of business.

Already little companies face undue delays in registering for VAT making them uncompetitive as their costs are higher by the amount of VAT they can't reclaim. Now another 3% is set to be cut from their earnings. It would seem as if the Government would prefer if there was just one large company in which we were all employees.

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A new Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor arrive in Munchkinland.

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"A younger man can go for a drink with a senior man and talk about his career. But a younger woman, if she asks a man for a drink for the same purpose, we know what happens"

Cherie Blair addressing the Global Banking Alliance for Women World Summit in Glasgow during the week.

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