I see the Europrats want to inflict works councils on all UK firms employing over 20 people.

To paraphrase St Augustine "Give me democracy, O Lord, but not just yet".

It's a bizarre concept that my staff can have the final say on whether I expand or contract, buy a subsidiary, sell a subsidiary, or even close down! It's rather like a General deciding to have a discussion with all his soldiers before deciding whether to attack! For any effective operation, there has to be a chain of command which, if it is a sensible one, is populated by experience and expertise, not time servers, jobsworths and political implants.

I know that even though the Labour party dropped Clause four, there are many politicians and ordinary people who do believe in the Marxist tenet of the workers owning the means of production, distribution, etc. But I'm sorry, I didn't start my Company to have my workers own it as a right; some do have equity but based on merit, not right.

It always reminds me of that story about the two farmers in Communist Russia. One says to the other: "Isn't the principle glorious that if 90 per cent of the country is owned by only 10 per cent of the population, it will be re-divided up so we all have an equal share?"

"Spot on" says the other chap. "And it's only right, in our village that if you had two tractors and I had none, you'd let me use one." "That seems only fair". "Likewise, if you had two cows, you'd let me have one?"

"Hang on a moment" says the other chap "You know, I've got two cows". Everything is OK until it comes close to home, isn't it?

I notice these Europrats are not very keen on democracy themselves in either Brussels or Strasbourg. So it's OK to tell us how to run our businesses - but perish the thought we might demand accountability from them, or even rooting out corruption.

I'm not even sure that the average worker wants to control the future of the company. All the recent statistics say we're working too hard, losing quality of life, and we would put shorter hours ahead of a pay-rise.

So do we really want to sit around, like old style Trade Union meetings, and discuss the more obscure points of buying Artwhistle and Sons in Sowerby Bridge, and should it be a cash or share deal? I'd rather concentrate on protecting my market share and improving my efficiency so that I make more money and my staff get the benefit.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.