Tax experts say the landmark ruling, reinforced by an Upper Tribunal judge after HMRC appealed, proved that the taxman had been wrongly following the law for nearly 60 years.
Actual government doesn’t know what the law is. So, erm, perhaps the law is too complex?
Actual government too stupid – in either the drafting or interpretation of the law – or both.
Although I’m retired I still do Mrs Grist’s tax every year and eventually she gets back a few bob to buy a nice dress for Christmas. Multiply her refund by the 30,000,000 working and its enough to welcome 7 diversity contributors for a couple of days – if you don’t count the costs of the last few miles of transportation to make sure they get here safely…
A couple of years after I left the Revenue, I came across a point I had never covered when in. I did not like the ancient interpretation used by the Inland Revenue.
I had trained with the Inspector I was sparring with, so he took me seriously and referred my argument to Head Office.
The result was that the client saved thousands, and the Manual was amended. Glad we did not have to go to Court.