The Shadow Chancellor thinks April's Budget will over-burden small business without benefiting anyone. Mike Harrison reports on Michael Howard's scathing appraisal of Labour's economic plans.

The Budget was a mixed blessing for small firms. For example their corporation tax has been reduced, VAT accounting procedures have been simplified and new grants are available for e-commerce developments. On the down side, a one per cent hike in National Insurance threatens to make small firms think long and hard about their staffing levels.

Mr Howard told First Voice: 'I think it's a bad Budget. it adds greatly to the costs of business - there's nothing to deal with the real problem that business faces in terms of regulation - I don't think we're going to see any benefit from the extra money that's going to be raised because there are no serious signs that the National Health Service is being reformed'......

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