Cathy Wilson
@cathywilson.bsky.social
Ex HMRC tax policy, current affairs, cats, gardening
Why do people assume Labour would win a mayoral byelection in Manchester? Or doesn't Manchester matter? On the whole people don't react favourably to a party that allows a sitting mayor to bunk off mid term.
January 26, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Why do people assume Labour would win a mayoral byelection in Manchester? Or doesn't Manchester matter? On the whole people don't react favourably to a party that allows a sitting mayor to bunk off mid term.
I'm afraid it's down to the politicians and their political advisers. They don't operate in a vacuum. Ministers have to make hard decisions on what to fund, by how much, how much tax to raise, from whom.
It's easy to say increase defence spending, but it's harder to say what you won't fund.
It's easy to say increase defence spending, but it's harder to say what you won't fund.
December 13, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I'm afraid it's down to the politicians and their political advisers. They don't operate in a vacuum. Ministers have to make hard decisions on what to fund, by how much, how much tax to raise, from whom.
It's easy to say increase defence spending, but it's harder to say what you won't fund.
It's easy to say increase defence spending, but it's harder to say what you won't fund.
Why sack officials? If ministers say they want something, against officials' advice, officials will deliver that something. That's their job.
And the job of ministers is to make decisions about difficult things. They shouldn't be let off the hook.
And the job of ministers is to make decisions about difficult things. They shouldn't be let off the hook.
December 13, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Why sack officials? If ministers say they want something, against officials' advice, officials will deliver that something. That's their job.
And the job of ministers is to make decisions about difficult things. They shouldn't be let off the hook.
And the job of ministers is to make decisions about difficult things. They shouldn't be let off the hook.
Brexit was always about becoming a rule taker, whether directly or indirectly. And there are always downsides. CU would smooth out a lot of regulations and costs especially for small business.
The SM is more difficult politically with FoM & will take longer. Let alone what the EU would want.
The SM is more difficult politically with FoM & will take longer. Let alone what the EU would want.
December 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Brexit was always about becoming a rule taker, whether directly or indirectly. And there are always downsides. CU would smooth out a lot of regulations and costs especially for small business.
The SM is more difficult politically with FoM & will take longer. Let alone what the EU would want.
The SM is more difficult politically with FoM & will take longer. Let alone what the EU would want.
I'm quite tired of this idea that if you can't have everything at once, you won't take anything. Customs Union is better than nothing. Baby steps.
Arguing you don't want southern EU countries affecting trade agreements is arguing against joining the EU.
Arguing you don't want southern EU countries affecting trade agreements is arguing against joining the EU.
December 8, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I'm quite tired of this idea that if you can't have everything at once, you won't take anything. Customs Union is better than nothing. Baby steps.
Arguing you don't want southern EU countries affecting trade agreements is arguing against joining the EU.
Arguing you don't want southern EU countries affecting trade agreements is arguing against joining the EU.
I can't imagine govt brave enough for full revaluation. But new tax could be used as stepping stone for revaluing lower bands over time eg over £1m one year, over £750k another year, each with a modest amount payable under the new tax. Eventually all properties would be revalued and taxed.
November 29, 2025 at 11:34 AM
I can't imagine govt brave enough for full revaluation. But new tax could be used as stepping stone for revaluing lower bands over time eg over £1m one year, over £750k another year, each with a modest amount payable under the new tax. Eventually all properties would be revalued and taxed.
A bit late to come back to this but, in general, someone who doesn't have a criminal record. Eg fraud, child abuse, violence. Is that funny enough for you?
November 8, 2025 at 11:00 PM
A bit late to come back to this but, in general, someone who doesn't have a criminal record. Eg fraud, child abuse, violence. Is that funny enough for you?
Indeed. But they'll be criticised for being mean to pensioners. Easier to leave to wither even more.
November 8, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Indeed. But they'll be criticised for being mean to pensioners. Easier to leave to wither even more.
They always threaten to leave the UK and never do.
I remember a report saying 15,000 city professionals would leave the UK in response to a tax change. Reader, they didn't. And the people behind the report asked later if we believed the report. No, we said. "Neither did we!" they replied.
I remember a report saying 15,000 city professionals would leave the UK in response to a tax change. Reader, they didn't. And the people behind the report asked later if we believed the report. No, we said. "Neither did we!" they replied.
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 PM
They always threaten to leave the UK and never do.
I remember a report saying 15,000 city professionals would leave the UK in response to a tax change. Reader, they didn't. And the people behind the report asked later if we believed the report. No, we said. "Neither did we!" they replied.
I remember a report saying 15,000 city professionals would leave the UK in response to a tax change. Reader, they didn't. And the people behind the report asked later if we believed the report. No, we said. "Neither did we!" they replied.
The bonus had value once upon a time. But it's shrunk in real terms especially since the triple lock and should have been abolished. But politicians have been too afraid to get rid of it because they knew - as demonstrated by this post - that they would attract outrage for doing so.
November 8, 2025 at 10:20 PM
The bonus had value once upon a time. But it's shrunk in real terms especially since the triple lock and should have been abolished. But politicians have been too afraid to get rid of it because they knew - as demonstrated by this post - that they would attract outrage for doing so.
CC is a regulator, even if it takes a lot to kick it into action sometimes. HMRC is the front line regulator, as it administers charity tax reliefs eg fit and proper persons test for trustees, checking annual accounts, and shares information with CC. (Same with Scotland and NI regulators.)
November 1, 2025 at 10:33 AM
CC is a regulator, even if it takes a lot to kick it into action sometimes. HMRC is the front line regulator, as it administers charity tax reliefs eg fit and proper persons test for trustees, checking annual accounts, and shares information with CC. (Same with Scotland and NI regulators.)
Her husband isn't her carer, surely? He's her partner, presumably joint owner of the property, and it seems he was the one working with the letting agent and failing to follow up on the licence. Maybe Reeves was wrong to trust him but they'll be jointly responsible for the mistake.
October 31, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Her husband isn't her carer, surely? He's her partner, presumably joint owner of the property, and it seems he was the one working with the letting agent and failing to follow up on the licence. Maybe Reeves was wrong to trust him but they'll be jointly responsible for the mistake.
Stupid argument, but probably the best they can muster to excuse the inexcusable. It's condescending and patriarchal to assume women can't commit crimes.
And where would it end? You might just as well argue Rose West and Myra Hindley were victims and shouldn't have been gaoled.
And where would it end? You might just as well argue Rose West and Myra Hindley were victims and shouldn't have been gaoled.
August 24, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Stupid argument, but probably the best they can muster to excuse the inexcusable. It's condescending and patriarchal to assume women can't commit crimes.
And where would it end? You might just as well argue Rose West and Myra Hindley were victims and shouldn't have been gaoled.
And where would it end? You might just as well argue Rose West and Myra Hindley were victims and shouldn't have been gaoled.
From memory, around 30% of older people need to pay for care. It seems perfectly reasonable to me to get the rest to help out if they're sitting on large amounts of wealth, a lot of it unearned. But it's an easy mark for opposition politicians with no responsibility for funding public services.
August 12, 2025 at 5:13 PM
From memory, around 30% of older people need to pay for care. It seems perfectly reasonable to me to get the rest to help out if they're sitting on large amounts of wealth, a lot of it unearned. But it's an easy mark for opposition politicians with no responsibility for funding public services.
Maybe not in the projects you saw but in all the HMRC IT projects I was involved with we always started with a user requirements document, which took a lot of work, involving policy, technical and plenty of end users' input. It was part of the basic project management process.
August 8, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Maybe not in the projects you saw but in all the HMRC IT projects I was involved with we always started with a user requirements document, which took a lot of work, involving policy, technical and plenty of end users' input. It was part of the basic project management process.
And like it or not, we all need to pay more income tax if we want decent public services. There is no pain free way through this.
May 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
And like it or not, we all need to pay more income tax if we want decent public services. There is no pain free way through this.
A tax based on property is needed but it will affect a lot of people who don't realise they're wealthy, including people who are probably supportive of a wealth tax - on other people.
May 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
A tax based on property is needed but it will affect a lot of people who don't realise they're wealthy, including people who are probably supportive of a wealth tax - on other people.
When the tory government proposed in 2012 to limit gift aid by requiring a minimum of 30% IT to be payable, it wasn't just the ultra wealthy complaining, it was the charities and their ordinary supporters.
May 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
When the tory government proposed in 2012 to limit gift aid by requiring a minimum of 30% IT to be payable, it wasn't just the ultra wealthy complaining, it was the charities and their ordinary supporters.
Yes, raising taxes on the wealthy sounds easy but people overlook behavioural effects, including backlash by ordinary people. Look at gift aid, particularly on shares, which is used by the ultra wealthy to cut their income tax to nil.
May 22, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Yes, raising taxes on the wealthy sounds easy but people overlook behavioural effects, including backlash by ordinary people. Look at gift aid, particularly on shares, which is used by the ultra wealthy to cut their income tax to nil.
It was surely not so much about the drafting of the GRA that was at issue, but the drafting of the Equality Act and whether (as found) it stood independently of the GRA.
April 17, 2025 at 5:10 PM
It was surely not so much about the drafting of the GRA that was at issue, but the drafting of the Equality Act and whether (as found) it stood independently of the GRA.
What's wrong with buying from the EU, Canada etc?
'Buy British' would copy the MAGA isolationist approach, surely the last thing we want these days?
'Buy British' would copy the MAGA isolationist approach, surely the last thing we want these days?
April 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
What's wrong with buying from the EU, Canada etc?
'Buy British' would copy the MAGA isolationist approach, surely the last thing we want these days?
'Buy British' would copy the MAGA isolationist approach, surely the last thing we want these days?
All of them, multiple times for work. Based in London but public consultations, meetings with govt / DA officials and visiting local offices and colleagues at all three. Belfast my favourite for the scones and jam handed round before official meetings.
March 7, 2025 at 10:34 AM
All of them, multiple times for work. Based in London but public consultations, meetings with govt / DA officials and visiting local offices and colleagues at all three. Belfast my favourite for the scones and jam handed round before official meetings.
And I missed the bit on creativity. Nicking ideas from other areas and working out hybrid solutions, coming up with new ideas and approaches. The best part of policy making, and not something LLM could manage.
February 7, 2025 at 2:18 PM
And I missed the bit on creativity. Nicking ideas from other areas and working out hybrid solutions, coming up with new ideas and approaches. The best part of policy making, and not something LLM could manage.
LLM would probably come up with a list of all the things industry/ stakeholders want. Yay, 100% tax relief! Get rid of all the rules! And so on. A bit like the USA these days.
February 7, 2025 at 2:13 PM
LLM would probably come up with a list of all the things industry/ stakeholders want. Yay, 100% tax relief! Get rid of all the rules! And so on. A bit like the USA these days.
A lot of the skill is in deciding what you can leave out, what you can reference in just a few words, because space is always limited, while making sure the minister gets a rounded picture of options and impacts. And different ministers want different formats and different levels of detail.
February 7, 2025 at 2:13 PM
A lot of the skill is in deciding what you can leave out, what you can reference in just a few words, because space is always limited, while making sure the minister gets a rounded picture of options and impacts. And different ministers want different formats and different levels of detail.