AND there I was feeling guilty. Worrying about whether I boss my husband about too much. I shouldn't be concerned -- it's the thing to do in a relationship, apparently.

Men need to be bossed around, says Heather Mills McCartney, wife of Sir Paul.

And not just some men -- "all men" -- she stressed when interviewed on an American chat show.

Well I couldn't agree more. I have bossed my husband around from the day we met and it has always worked for me. Until recently, that is. Until he started to rebel. Until he started to boss back.

Women are the biggest hypocrites on the planet. They boss their partners into the ground and they expect their men to do as they are told -- and they do.

Then they moan to their friends about being married to Yes Man.

Many a time I've whined to my friends about my eager-to-please husband: "When I ask him what he wants to do on a weekend, he answers: "Well, what would you like to do?"

I hated being married to Yes Man, seemingly unable to make his own decisions, happy to be bossed around -- rather like Richard, simpering husband of super-nag Hyacinth Bucket.

But, about six months ago, he changed tack.

He started to assert himself, to make his own decisions and, more significantly, to question mine. Now he argues with me constantly.

If I tell him off for leaving his shoes at the top of the stairs where the children could trip over them, he will retaliate, giving an example of a similar hazard for which I'm to blame: "You need talk, look at the pile of newspapers you've left in the hall."

When I ask him to take out the rubbish or clear away the dinner plates, instead of the usual "Yes, dear," I'm faced with comments like: "Well why can't you do that?" and "Can't you see I'm busy?"

And when I ask him where he wants to go on a weekend he will make a choice -- usually some old ruin in the middle of nowhere that is my idea of hell.

I then put on my best Ann Robinson "I'm the boss" face and try to persuade him otherwise. But whereas in the past it worked, it doesn't seem to now.

After 19 years my husband has turned from Yes Man into No Man. I don't get my own way any more. I'm being bossed back -- and it isn't nice.

Alarmingly, my friends and colleagues say the same about their other halves.

"It's terrible," said one. "He used to be really quiet -- now, after 10 years, he's got a mind of his own."

I get a distinct feeling that we are facing a rebellion. Yes Men are fighting back. It's like that Two Ronnies sketch The Worm Has Turned, where the hen-pecked men feel they have had enough.

And the downtrodden husbands who think twice about re-marrying their domineering wives in JB Priestley's play When We Are Married.

Ms Mills McCartney may be able to get away with it now, but, believe me it won't last.

There could be a solution, though -- if we re-define our bossing as 'encouragement.' They couldn't possibly argue with that.