Business is raising the stakes in the taxation debate. Today the CBI employers' organisation is complaining loudly that it has borne the brunt of Gordon Brown's tax rises. It is threatening to withdraw support from the government if taxes on business income rise any further.

The list of grievances is long. The CBI claims the chancellor has imposed an additional £51bn tax bill for business and investors compared with the 1997 system. It adds that this is increasing by almost £8bn every year and claims that this year companies will pay an extra £5bn in taxes that are levied before any profit is generated.