Here are my 8 for ‘8 predictions for 2008

After the debacle of Northern Rock, another financial institution ‘run’ will take place in the UK. This will be as a result of a lack of confidence after exposure revelations during the year.

In the UK the banks will again delay the introduction of the same day electronic transfers promised for November 2007. Their excuse will be technical, but the real reason will be revenue-related.

A very high profile celebrity working for the BBC will be sacked during the year after newspaper revelations .

There can be no prizes for guessing that the Labour Government will have to endure embarrassing legal actions against financial donors and Labour party officials. However, this will also be extended to other political parties and ‘heads will roll’.

Gun crime in the UK will soar out of control this year and the number of deaths to youths will be more than double the figures for 2007.

Another high profile conversion to Catholicism will take place during the year and it will invoke the Anglican church to announce the acceptance in principle of the seven sacraments. This will clear the way for greater integration of the Anglican church into the Catholic church during the next two/three years. The ‘liberalized’ elements of the Anglican church will then be free to part company for good.

‘Celebrity’ will take yet another dive during the year and the C4 Big Brother summer series will be cut short due to legal reasons and a drastic drop in ratings.

A very large store group will go into administration during the year.