Fighting Back

HMRC from offices in the Borders (Hawick and Galashiels), due to be closed by 2011, have taken their fight to the streets.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) went to Galashiels last Friday to gather signatures of support, and were joined by Borders Lib Dem MP Michael Moore.

He is of the view, as indeed are many, that the HMRC restructuring has not been properly thought through and was quoted:

"The government have not yet shown what they are going to save by closing these offices.

For all the clever processing and online transactions that people can do, there is still a need for people to look behind the figures and to do skilled interpretative work.

That needs highly qualified individuals - we have got a whole host of them in the Borders and I want us to keep them here."

As already noted, taxpayers prefer to talk face to face with tax professionals from HMRC, rather than calling a faceless call centre. Regrettably HMRC are ignoring the wishes of the taxpayers.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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