Judging by the 106 comments that my Friday article "Sinister" attracted, it appears that some of my loyal readers have had a very busy weekend!Tax does have to be taxing.
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For what its worth, I saw HMRC take a battering in the Court of Appeal once. It was refreshing to see High Court Judges put them on the spot. Did HMRC struggle? You bet they did!
ReplyDeleteThis gives me great hope against this self-regulated, law-breaking and draconian regime known as HMRC.
To top that, HMRC has no respect. They are known as incompetent bullies. Calling taxpayers customers who have no choices and a management team who are despised and rule with fear.
This cannot last for much longer. Their time will come. Too many are standing up to them now and rebelling. They are NOT above the law, even if they act like they are. We have recourse people.
Fully agree with 9 May 2011 09:28
ReplyDeleteI witnessed a Tribunal Appeal once and they squirmed in their seats. The Taxpayer won the case and the HMRC officers left the court sniggering and choking glad that it was over and they could retreat to the security of the nearby office.
Appeal Appeal Appeal! anything from them, even if it means a period of meetings and paperwork.
Its a shambles inside, mistakes all over the show,
Never accept a decision from them.
I was in a courtroom once where the prosecuting investigator from HMRC did not even know the VAT threshold for Tax.
ReplyDeleteWhen challenged by the Defence Barrister as to why that was, the reply was:
'I DON'T NEED TO KNOW'
Where do they FIND these people?
'I think Bernadette Kenny went to pastures new after taking the rap for the PAYE debacle, but may still be there.'
ReplyDelete@8 May 2011 17:37 on 'sinister' thread.
Correct, her email was undeliverable.
I wonder how many emails are waiting in Madame Strathie's inbox today?
HMRC consists of former IR & Customs staff and managers. From what I have seen, the ongoing legacy is one of systemic malpractice inherited from the worst of what were once 2 great Government Departments.
ReplyDeleteHairnet is famous for losing the case against Ken Dodd as well as having been forced to apologise publicly by his Political Masters.
Straithie, by default, appears to have left her previous domain a shattered hopeless mess when she took on the maantle of HMRC.
But don't forget the Customs wallah's have their own skeletons, particularly the "Investigator's" remember London City Bond, or what about the Investigation boss referred to as an unreliable witness by the judge in a disastrous drugs case that went belly up - it was all in the papers and public knowledge. Then there was the Jaffa Cake debacle, one of many poor interpretations of VAT liability Law that went hopelessly wrong and cost millions in refunds - what part of cake didn't you understand?
Of course the fallout from these and other issues have cost more than just money. But then if you are HMRC management you don't have to care as its not your money or liberty just your reputation at stake, and that don't concern 'em.
@14:29
ReplyDeleteDoes it really matter how many e-mails are Leslie Strathie's inbox?
How many would be actually be read & resolved by her?
I'll give you a clue.... its starts with Z and end in ERO !!!
They'll be farmed out down the chain to some lowly pleb!
Who if your really lucky... might just be able to sort things out...
... but will have no real influence to make the necessary changes to ensure any problems don't reoccur!
You might even get a letter saying they're sorry... & thanking you for drawing this matter to their attention... & they've learnt from it... & things are better now!
@14:29
ReplyDeleteSelect All + Delete
Nah.
ReplyDeleteI think that the end game may have started and no-one using this site has realised it.
Anyone believing that HMG is not concerned by what has been posted on this site has their head up their own rectum never mind anyone elses!
There comes a point in any "happening" when the system itself says enough!
Don't forget that Stalinist principles did for Gordon the Broon eventually, he was shafted due to his own beliefs and rightly so, pathetic creature!
Repent now whilst there is still time ye spawn of Satan afore ye fall unto the pit!
Select All + Delete
ReplyDelete@9 May 2011 19:15
That's fine.
If having the posh title of Dame, Baroness, etc- means leaving your manners at the portcullis, then it will not look good on her resume when I have my day in court.
Manners maketh Man, no matter how far up the food chain you manage to slither.
Ask about the latest recruitment of call centre workers, evidently it makes the cast of extras for the film Deliverance look good by comparison.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is HMRC cannot retain people, the experience of working for this bunch or modern day "mill owners" just is not worth it. The turn-over is relentless and speaks volumes for what it must be like actually working within that environment - timed toilet breaks, fixed times for dealing with queries including complex queries that neither sod on either end of the phone understands, oh yes, and don't go sick or make a mistake...
the cardinal rule of any business - the customer comes first, pretty basic really!
9 May 2011 22:16
ReplyDeleteSays it all really. How bad is it that during a recession this Muppet outfit cannot even retain staff.
Newbies should be handed a course of Anti-depressants at their induction.
Please note, this bunch of Muppets were losing staff in droves before the recession.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the remainder would go yesterday if the price was right, recession or not.
And if that does not concern the "customer" heaven help them as its only going to get worse!
Don't know what all the fuss is about....
ReplyDeleteDidn't you know that everything they do is based on their "Customer Centric Business Strategy" !!!
Customer Centric Business Strategy, what a load of B@//@cks, the customer at the centre, my ar@e, next they will be telling their staff that they are engaging, listening, acting, improving blah, blah fecking blah!
ReplyDeleteWait until the Government work out the tax gap is worse than their "experts" have predicted!
Anon @ 19:17...
ReplyDeleteGood news... there is no longer a tax gap. The bad news... is it's now a tax Grand Canyon!!!
Anyone out there remember the BCCI scandal?
ReplyDeleteWhy do I ask?
Well if you read the book you already know the answers.
And if you have not read it I suggest you do.
The clue lies in the Tax Havens and the connections you don't yet see.....
RE: Bernadette Kenny
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1c802f48-f74f-11df-8b42-00144feab49a.html#axzz1MG7oORCp
and then wouldn't you know!!
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2011/02/new-chief-executive-for-the-church-of-england-pensions-board.aspx
I wonder what kind of a reference she got?
OMG!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bitcdiversity.org.uk/awards/awards_2009/2009_case_studies/champion_awards/bernadette_kenny.html
Didn't really have much time left to do what she was paid for did it?