Women business owners in the UK lack confidence?

• Today, The Financial Times published, "Start-ups surge but business failures are not far behind." The number of business start-ups has risen almost as fast in the past 12 months as in the five years leading up to 2002.

• However, the data also showed that 54 per cent more companies failed in 2003 than five years earlier, in part reflecting recent increases in interest rates. In 2002-03, the number of business start-ups increased 34.5 per cent to 392,189.

• In addition, research carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce published last month found there were only four women entrepreneurs for every 10 men running a business. This put the UK behind several countries including the US, Greece and Spain. The research by the chambers blamed a lack of confidence among women and a reticence to seek external financing.

Oh please. It's not the women, it's the system. The next thing you know, we will be seeing: Escape From UK to America!

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