Patrick Collinson: Why no-one is poor any more in Britain's debt-democratised society.

James Crosby, the chief executive of the Halifax, cut a Churchillian figure at the start of the "mortgage war" that began in February, when Halifax unilaterally cut its base rate by 0.75%.

Next week marks the end of one financial year and the beginning of another. The ad campaigns, which have been urging small investors to make full use of their tax free Isa allowances will be pulled. Then, before anyone has time to take a deep breath, you will be bombarded with ads promoting stakeholder pensions - a key plank in the government's bid to make us save more money for our old age.