Credit crisis diary: Mervyn won't join the apology club

There's been no end of apologies from those at the centre of the banking crisis this week, but one man who won't be saying sorry is Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England. Despite the collapse of the banking system and the UK plunging into recession, King evaded calls for an apology yesterday, insisting that he and his colleagues had never promised their optimistic economic forecasts would come true.

Tax helpline out of order at worst time

Did you have any difficulties filing your self-assessment tax return in time for the 31 January deadline? If so, the good people at the Chartered Institute of Taxation probably weren't much help. Its phones have been out of order for the past two weeks. "We hope that BT will beable to deal with the problem as quickly as possible," a plaintivebean counter says.

For when the boss starts cracking up

Calling business leaders worried about surviving the recession: Richard Reid, who bills himself as "a Harley Street psychotherapist and former therapist at celebrity clinic The Priory", is offering his services if it's all getting a bit much. Reid has apparently done his bit for "A-List Hollywood rock stars and actors", but is now touting his services closer to home.

Cheesy for sure, but surely not glamorous

Poor old ShortsandLongs.com. The spread betting company's advert promoting its financial spread betting service really couldn't have offended too many people, other than on taste grounds. But one prude complained to the Advertising Standards Authority and now the ad has been banned on the grounds it glamorises gambling. If that's what the ASA thinks is glamour, their staff need to get out more.

Worried about job cuts, and how to make them

Insurance company Allianz, which runs a legal helpline, has seen a surge in calls from people worried about their legal rights during a redundancy programme. No surprise there, given the current climate. What's more disturbing is that Allianz says 50 per cent of the calls are from employers seeking advice on what they have to do to get rid of people.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk