Oil giant Exxon Mobil yesterday reported the biggest profit in corporate history- some $36.1bn (£20bn) after tax for 2005.

The profit was on the back of soaring oil prices. The company’s turnover - some $371bn - would make it the 17th biggest economy, just behind Russia but ahead of Taiwan or Sweden.

The obscene profit will be ammunition to those people who think there should be a wind-fall tax on big oil earnings at the moment. What do you think?