Not Perfect - But a Lot Better

I seem to have spent a lot of time watching the news and holding my breath lately but - for the moment - I think I can begin to relax.

The Liberal Democrat and Conservative Coalition has scrapped the planned one per cent hike in National Insurance Contributions for many (I think in most cases, most!) staff members. The hike will still affect staff earning more than £20,800 per annum - but that will allow many businesses to retain employees and/or to take on new staff without worrying about incurring major tax increases.

This is a good beginning - not perfect, but a lot better than we might have expected had the old regime continued unchanged. Perhaps - at last - we will see the unemployment figures begin to drop and signs of real recovery for everyone.

Before we begin to celebrate, though, let's wait for the emergency budget, set for June 22nd. There'll be live coverage for that - Which is certainly going to be keeping us all well up to date on the Which? Money Liveblog and the BBC will be there as usual - so I suppose I shall be glued to the PC yet again.

I have to say, however, that I have hopes for the budget - and for the Coalition, which I think has every chance of working out well.

Well. Nobody Wanted It, But...

...perhaps a hung Parliament is not a bad, but simply a timely and long overdue event.

Change is a good and necessary thing. Nobody likes it, because the known is comfortable and familiar and any change is a step into the dark, but the electoral system as it stands is manifestly unfair, and has been in need of change for a very, very long time.

Changing that system is therefore necessary and for the common good, and that has never been more obvious than it is now in the wake of the recent General Election - which may (at last!) force a change.

Look on the bright side! The hung Parliament has produced two conscientious, well-meaning and energetic young men who may well be able to work together for the common good and who are, moreover (and very importantly) free of any taint of sleaze - a very welcome change!

I don't believe, of course, that those two young men can ever agree upon every point - but I think and hope that they can agree to compromise upon the most important ones and get business on its feet and people back into work.

Free Web Seminars from Accountancy Age and Financial Director

I've been looking at Accountancy Age and Financial Director web seminars.

The seminars are free once you have registered - and interactive if you have the time to attend. Otherwise you can review the recorded events in your own time. One time registration will give you a user name and a password. The URL for particular events will be e-mailed to you afterwards.

The 'Upcoming Events' tab on the site shows nothing at the moment - but there are a number of recorded events available. Not all of them are for everybody - a lot of them are aimed at accountants - but some of them might be immediately useful, and this is certainly a site to keep your eyes and ears on.

I found the site, incidentally, through an e-mail I received from Business Credit Management UK - another source of information it's worth signing up to.