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Labour MP: make HMRC ‘more accountable’

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25th Jun 2012
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A Labour government would consider making HMRC more accountable to parliament and review whether the department has enough resources after heavy job cuts, a member of the shadow cabinet has said.

In an interview in the June edition of TAXtv, Owen Smith a former member of the shadow Treasury team, who in May was appointed shadow secretary of state for Wales, said that concerns about the performance of HMRC and its “integral” importance to the UK, meant that it was worth considering whether there should be greater “oversight” of the government department.

Government plans to cut 10,000 more jobs at HMRC go much further than the previous Labour government, Smith told TAXtv presenter Giles Mooney.

“HMRC is a revenue-raising department. How long can you go [cutting jobs] ... before you start cutting into flesh and bone?” Smith said.

Smith also said that the government’s estimate that the 50p rate of income tax only raised £100m due to widespread tax avoidance was “disgraceful” and not based on convincing evidence.

Government predictions that the new 45p top rate of income tax will create additional tax receipts of £2.9bn, rising to £3.9bn, were wildly optimistic, he also said.

“I don’t think there is any evidence in this country or anywhere else that you will see such a massive offsetting from any tax change,” Smith said.

Tax changes can affect peoples’ behaviour but to imagine that people “are going to work twice as hard to deliver these receipts to the exchequer is fanciful,” he said.

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By johnjenkins
25th Jun 2012 17:28

Perhaps

they should give the job to Gordon Brown considering he made such a wonderful effort last time around.

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By dstickl
27th Jun 2012 08:47

Did O Smith say anything about IR35 on those >SPA?

Did Owen Smith MP say anything about the IR35 burden on those workers aged over SPA (State Pension Age), which in my opinion - to use Smith's alleged words - under Labour since 2000  '... was “disgraceful” and not based on convincing evidence' ?

I'd be glad for any feedback from any one out there please ...

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By The Black Knight
27th Jun 2012 12:54

None of them have a clue!

We are all doomed!

doomed!

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By dstickl
27th Jun 2012 13:15

@TBK: Where's Capt Mainwaring or ...

Hi TBK! Where's Capt Mainwaring or ... even Sgt Wilson, when needed ?

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Replying to nogammonsinanundoubledgame:
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By dstickl
28th Jun 2012 12:36

@TBK "Spreadeagled" by the "LIesBOR" affair?

"Spreadeagled" by the "LIesBOR" affair?

dstickl wrote:

Hi TBK! Where's Captain Mainwaring or ... even Sergeant Wilson, [of the Warmington-on-Sea Bank {called Swallow’s Bank (on TV) or Martin’s Bank (in the film)} in "Dads' Army"], when needed ?

So much for Labour's "Light Touch Regulation" and its inevitable legacies ... OR was it Labour's "Light fingered de-regulation" culture? Any apologies from O Smith MP?

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By dstickl
01st Jul 2012 16:25

'BBA LIBOR' is Trade Mark No E1315159.Should renewal be allowed?

'BBA LIBOR' is Trade Mark Number E1315159. Here's a link:- 

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ohim?ohimnum=E1315159

QUESTION:   Should renewal be allowed of Trade Mark Number E1315159, because it seems to me to have been used in a generic way AND when I saw a British Bankers' Association (BBA) rep being interviewed on TV last week (allegedly Angela Knight perhaps?) she seemed to me - in my opinion (IMO) - to be keen to stress the ownership by BBA, but not at all keen to accept the responsibility/accountability for the veracity of its calculation? 

Surely - as professionally trained accountants - we all should be upset by the scandal of LIBOR "mis-calculation" etcetera and, as part of Corporate Social Responsibility, we should write to the Intellectual Property Office to request that action be taken to either (1) strike off, or (2) bar any renewal of this Trade Mark (Filing date: 20 September 1999) when it's next due. 

All agreed?

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By johnjenkins
02nd Jul 2012 09:41

We can get upset

as much as we like it won't make any difference. Those in power will do what they like and our associations will sit by and do nothing.

There is a slight glimmer of hope that DC is actually seeing what has been happening (and we have been saying) but then that could just be "electioneering".

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