Revenue - "They hate you"

Times columnist, Libby Purves, launches an attack on the Revenue's attitude towards and treatment of tax payers, particularly the self employed and small businesses.

She claims that Revenue and Customs has 'a profound culture of disrespect for the individual........it regards us as criminals'.

She warns that while the Government applauds small businesses, freelances, and contractors, .... anyone going into self-employment should know what will happen: however scrupulously you state your income...the time will come when you are targeted for "inspection".

She concludes:"O you budding entrepreneurs and freelances. It will distract you from your work, stop you sleeping, and fuel a sense of injustice and helplessness. And all the time, the clowns in Gateshead do far worse than mislay the odd invoice. They casually expose 25 million families to fraud and credit trouble.

"They know you can't threaten them back: they're judge and jury, they hold the power. And they despise you. "

Full article: They hate you. And they'll get you - Times, Nov 2007