We were never going to have a great British bonfire of the tax system after Brexit August 15, 2023 We have neglected to reintroduce VAT-free shopping for foreign tourists, doubtless to squeals of delight from shopkeepers in Milan or Paris.
In loving memory of the Office of Tax Simplification – but hopefully not its dream July 19, 2023 We should radically reshape our taxes, making the legislation a 20 page pamphlet - but we probably won't.
Fighting for low tax rates is so 2010, now the game is in offering the best incentives June 20, 2023 Gone are the days when countries jostled for the lowest tax rate to attract investment, now companies are looking for the best packages of incentives, and governments are delivering, writes Tim Sarson
Our tax system is not as bad as we think – but it won’t be our magic bullet for growth May 16, 2023 Our taxes are not attracting nor repelling many businesses; they sit somewhere in the middle. It's not that bad, but we shouldn't rely on our tax system to boost our economy any time soon, writes Tim Sarson
Businesses were hunting among the slim pickings for fresh cash to boost growth across the UK March 16, 2023 There wasn't much fresh cash for businesses in yesterday's Budget. But it certainly showed a calmer approach after the political upheaval of only months ago, writes Tim Sarson
Appease the markets and his own party? Jeremy Hunt has a frightful task November 16, 2022 Tomorrow, Jeremy Hunt needs to deliver a plan that both wins the confidence of the city – and the financial markets – and is politically palatable. This comes off the back of a narrative which has converged around terms like “black holes” and “difficult decisions”. The emerging theme is that there is a gap in [...]
Uncertainty is a tax in itself which is damaging Britain on the world stage October 17, 2022 Every now and then the normally dry subject of taxation makes it onto the front pages. It’s a short-lived chance for professionals like me to air our long-held views on the oddities, distortions and iniquities of the system: its head-scratching complexity and the patches of unfairness – between social classes, regions and age groups – [...]
Sunak wants to be a low-tax Tory but instead he’s following the US and picking winners March 25, 2022 When Frank Sinatra first uttered the words “the best is yet to come”, the UK’s fiscal strategy probably couldn’t have been further from his mind. But the words ring true after a spring statement that did little to make life any easier for those of us who make a living trying to read the Chancellor’s [...]
Sunak’s quietly simplified tax policy could unshackle our economy – or strangle it December 16, 2021 Tax Day hardly sounds like the kind of day we want to mark on the calendar. It is a relatively new practice, when the government dumps an array of tax consultations, reforms and policy proposals on the Treasury’s website, all in one go. Unsurprisingly, they mostly happen without fanfare. But they do offer us helpful [...]
KPMG: Britain’s tax system is having an identity crisis September 17, 2021 Every so often a debate about UK tax policy cuts through into the media and public imagination, as we’ve seen in this last couple of weeks. The Health and Social Care levy has thrown a light on some big questions about how, and from whom, we raise money to fund the country’s public spending needs. [...]
