My thanks to a loyal reader who advises me that Lin Homer has proudly announced that there will be a three part documentary on TV next year about HMRC.
This is interesting given that HMRC does not discuss individual tax cases, and that staff are bound by OSA and various civil service guidelines concerning confidentiality etc.
The fact that Excom have approved such a documentary leads me to suspect that Excom believe that they can "manage" the impression given and the final result.
We shall see!
Documentary makers (especially "reality" TV shows) are very skilled at making fools of those who appear in them eg; The Hotel Inspector, The Call Centre, Come Dine With Me, Permission Impossible etc.
I would be grateful to hear more details about the documentary, and which company etc is making it.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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Having established themselves in a long running tragi/comedy the Muppets now wish to be considered as serious actors eh?
ReplyDeleteThe conversion may be one step too far for the central cast of Excom to take and a handing back of Equity cards may be in order. As for Excom being able to manage the impression given and the final result, no chance, this lot still can't manage the proverbial booze-up in a brewery, and as for one or two of the less able being allowed in front of a camera you have got to be joking.
Of course there will be those that get killed in the rush of thesbians (HMRC is an equal opportunities employer after all) and extroverts along with the odd psychopath still prowling the corridors of power all struggling for their 3 minutes of "fame"
Hopefully there may still be a few AA's left to actually tell it as it is and hope that the censors scissors do not leave their conteributions on the contact centre floors.
Yep, go for broke HMRC, if you dare. I believe you may well regret the final cut, if the Politico's actually allow it to air.
The documentary will be produced by Tiger Aspect. Also, staff are being 'reassured' that the filming crew will at all times be accompanied by a HMRC press officer.
ReplyDeleteHas anyonefrom the press office actually worked in HMRC, other than I the press office? I doubt any of them have worked in call centre, a VAT office or had anything to do with direct or indirect taxation. I'd like to have seen excom members being filmed as they "negotiate" deals with the multinational companies. Riveting TV.......
ReplyDeleteTiger Aspect are probably a good choice, " particularly noted for its situation comedies* " (Wiki'.), their website refers to " a broad range of programme genres including comedy, drama, entertainment, factual, animation, wildlife and feature films." That seems to sum up life in HMRC pretty well with the exception of horror of course!
ReplyDeleteAs for the "press officers", this lot are so on message they make Labour apparachetniks look balanced and coherent. They are a bit like the "sneaky beaks" that occupy the corners of every HMRC workplace, reporting like the old style political commissars from cold war days. They cannot speak until the message has come through on the Blackberry from HQ, but once the message has been received and digested they spout forth with conviction.
Wonder where, if any, the taxes that might or might not be due on the production will be paid, or not? That could be another embarrassment for the Muppets long running farce!
* inc. Mr Bean & The Vicar of Dibley.
They were filming in the enquiry centre in Warrington earlier this week.
ReplyDelete