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13 February 2019 / Peter Vaines
Issue: 7828 / Categories: Features , Commercial , Tax
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Taxing matters

One size fits none. In the pursuit of compliance, HMRC has chosen to treat everyone like a tax cheat, says Peter Vaines
  • Through its attempts to encourage compliance and penalise wrongdoers, HMRC has created a bullying culture of trying to catch people out, collecting tax which is not due, and forcing people into submission without regard to the rights and wrongs of their case.
  • A culture of trust and compliance should be the goal—and that is achieved by respect, not by fear.

‘I have a dream,’ somebody rather important once said.

I too have a dream—rather less important—but if it could turn into reality, it would make a lot of difference to a lot of people. It is all to do with tax and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Liars, cheats & law-abiding citizens

There is increasing disquiet about the deteriorating relationship between HMRC and taxpayers, and this obviously is a matter of real importance to taxpayers— and a matter of deep regret to professionals in the field. It

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Constantine Law—Anita Vadgama

Constantine Law—Anita Vadgama

New senior partner hire at consultant-led employment / regulatory law firm

Ward Hadaway—Emma Swann & Jill Donabie

Ward Hadaway—Emma Swann & Jill Donabie

Firm adds two partners to growing education practice

mfg Solicitors—Lauren Collins, Emily Stancer & Sara Southall

mfg Solicitors—Lauren Collins, Emily Stancer & Sara Southall

Trio of newly qualified solicitors strengthens Worcester office law firm

NEWS
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
The treasury has sought to reassure the legal profession over concerns about cost, bureaucracy and independence when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) takes over regulation of anti-money laundering compliance
One out of two barristers has come under pressure from clients to act unethically, according to the results of this year’s Barristers’ Working Lives survey
The Court of Appeal has held the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) was wrong to set aside a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision on unfair pricing of phenytoin, an epilepsy drug
A flagship employment law reform is due to come into effect on 1 July, extending unfair dismissal rights to employees after six months in their job instead of two years
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