Is self-employment ambassador just paying lip service?
MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, David Morris, was recently re-appointed as the Governments self-employment ambassador, which delighted IPSE (Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed) chief executive, Chris Bryce.
Mr Bryce congratulated Mr Morris, remarking, “Having worked closely with David Morris MP, IPSE is delighted that he has been re-appointed as the Government’s self-employment ambassador, and we look forward to continuing our very strong relationship with him”
“With a small business background and having been self-employed himself, David has a keen understanding of the issues that the smallest businesses face on a daily basis such as late payment and getting access to the support and training needed to succeed. We congratulate David and look forward to him continuing to champion this important section of the economy”
David’s re-appointment is another signal that the new Government is committed to helping the 4.5 million people working for themselves to flourish.”
In response David Morris declared, “I am delighted to be re-appointed as the Government’s self-employment ambassador. As a self-employed businessman for many years before being elected to Parliament I know only too well how complicated legislation can burden businesses and over the last 6-8 months in the post I have enjoyed speaking to business both in my own constituency and nationwide about how the Government can help their business thrive”
“I look forward to continuing to work with IPSE and other bodies who represent the self-employed to come up with new ideas in the coming months. One of the things I would especially like to tackle is IR35 which has always been unnecessarily complicated.”
Whilst the MP’s comments are laudable one cannot help feeling that he was doing what politicians do best – telling the people what they want to hear. I hope that I am very much mistaken but the Office of Tax Simplification have already had a stab at this and if they can’t come up with a solution that is acceptable to the government then how is one man going to succeed? If he is sincere in his intentions then we all wish him the very best of luck.
IR35 being simplified??? Now that would be something that I beleive a lot of self employed people myself included would welcome. I have always been a firm believer that if you apply enough logic to anything, eventually you will understand the topic at hand. But IR35 and Accountancy seem to be in a world of their own.
@Conradmoore Accountancy is indeed a matter of logic, not so IR35 I am afraid
He was a hairdresser – just the background for complex tax law.
“Whilst the MP’s comments are laudable…”
You spelled laughable with a D.
Simplified… can mean almost anything, such as “All IT contractors are caught”. Simple enough, not what you expected/hoped for, I imagine.
The old adage applies: be careful what you wish for.
Along with other adages of varying usefulness…
Don’t prod a toothless tiger.
Never push your granny when she’s shaving.
Oopsie IPSE should have shut up a long time ago – although it seems that we now got rid of their own-goal (BETs) we didn’t really – they missed a golden opportunity to put forward and get behind a real suggestion.
So did he just sit idly by and allow the chancellor to include all the contractor-toxic measures in the budget?