The Treasury is preparing to levy a one-year windfall tax on British-based banks, BBC business editor Robert Peston has learned.

Options may include a super-tax on big bonus earners, or a larger employers' National Insurance charge on banks.

Another is to tax investment banks directly. Our correspondent said the year-long levy would raise several hundred million pounds.

An announcement could come as soon as Wednesday's pre-Budget report.

Our business editor said the proposals were still being worked on at the Treasury, but he believed an announcement on Wednesday was "more likely than not".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8398189.stm

I fully support any efforts the Government makes to tax the bank on taxpayers money that may be used for brazen bonuses. If the bankers want to quit over it, I'm sure the Government could recruit some of the 2 million unemployed in this country to fill their slot...