https://uktech.org/section/viewpoint/ Opinion and commentary from across the contracting world. en-gb Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 newsdesk@uktech.org (UKTECH newsdesk) newsdesk@uktech.org https://uktech.org/a/they-can-tax-me-but-the-moral-high-ground-is-mine.html https://uktech.org/a/they-can-tax-me-but-the-moral-high-ground-is-mine.html Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:29:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Since when has the Government of this country felt able to abrogate their responsibilities as law-makers and pass it to the moral judgement of the… https://uktech.org/a/so-who-or-what-is-morally-repugnant-aggressive-tax-avoidance.html https://uktech.org/a/so-who-or-what-is-morally-repugnant-aggressive-tax-avoidance.html Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:01:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint A few years ago, I wrote an article about how Labour, or possibly the Treasury and the Inland Revenue had subtly switched the definition of 'tax… https://uktech.org/a/why-doesn-t-mr-brown-like-small-firms.html https://uktech.org/a/why-doesn-t-mr-brown-like-small-firms.html Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:22:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Anyone running a small business must be wondering what they've done to upset the Chancellor. https://uktech.org/a/mscs-two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right.html https://uktech.org/a/mscs-two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right.html Thu, 15 Mar 2007 11:54:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint The respected professional bodies, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants, have been united in their condemnation of the Government's approach… https://uktech.org/a/mscs-using-a-sledge-hammer-to-miss-the-nut.html https://uktech.org/a/mscs-using-a-sledge-hammer-to-miss-the-nut.html Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:54:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint The Government's attempt to crack down on Managed Service Companies (MSCs) has been the subject of much debate and discussion - but will they actually… https://uktech.org/a/what-do-you-want-from-an-agency.html https://uktech.org/a/what-do-you-want-from-an-agency.html Fri, 16 Jun 2006 08:46:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Do agencies understand what contractors want from them? https://uktech.org/a/freelancer-a-business-or-a-vulnerable-temp.html https://uktech.org/a/freelancer-a-business-or-a-vulnerable-temp.html Wed, 19 Oct 2005 08:30:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Two UK representative bodies are fighting to convince the Government that agency workers are two completely different sets of people. https://uktech.org/a/it-s-not-you-it-s-sme.html https://uktech.org/a/it-s-not-you-it-s-sme.html Mon, 11 Apr 2005 12:18:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Philip Ross, founder of the Labour Small Business Forum and member of UKTECH network, argues why Labour must not lose sight of the electoral importance of… https://uktech.org/a/general-election-will-small-businesses-make-a-difference.html https://uktech.org/a/general-election-will-small-businesses-make-a-difference.html Fri, 25 Mar 2005 12:45:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint There is an average of 6,000 small businesses in every constituency. https://uktech.org/a/can-a-consultant-be-a-real-business.html https://uktech.org/a/can-a-consultant-be-a-real-business.html Mon, 28 Feb 2005 08:30:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint The world of small businesses was dealt two legal blows last year when the courts supported the views of the Inland Revenue on two controversial pieces of… https://uktech.org/a/fiddling-while-rome-burns.html https://uktech.org/a/fiddling-while-rome-burns.html Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:00:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint In the past year, I have written several stories about Government initiatives to help what it perceives to be under-represented groups start their own… https://uktech.org/a/petition-against-the-govt-proposals-on-id-cards.html https://uktech.org/a/petition-against-the-govt-proposals-on-id-cards.html Thu, 04 Nov 2004 08:53:00 +0000 Contributor Viewpoint There is an electronic petition online calling for the Government to withdraw its plans for introducing ID cards. https://uktech.org/a/what-we-have-here-is-a-failure-to-communicate.html https://uktech.org/a/what-we-have-here-is-a-failure-to-communicate.html Mon, 01 Nov 2004 07:56:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint Members of the UKTECH network were recently invited to participate in an online consultation about what you want from Government IT. https://uktech.org/a/company-residence.html https://uktech.org/a/company-residence.html Tue, 10 Aug 2004 08:32:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint It is clear from many of the questions and comments posted on UKTECH, that many freelancers and small businesses are internationally mobile. https://uktech.org/a/ir35-is-it-a-voluntary-tax.html https://uktech.org/a/ir35-is-it-a-voluntary-tax.html Tue, 20 Jul 2004 09:58:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint I recently had a call from a firm of accountants who had reached an impasse with one of their contractor clients. https://uktech.org/a/best-wishes-to-kevin-miller.html https://uktech.org/a/best-wishes-to-kevin-miller.html Wed, 30 Jun 2004 09:09:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint After more than four years working with UKTECH and advising freelancers on their tax and status issue, Kevin Miller, is moving on to take a position with… https://uktech.org/a/has-the-uk-lost-your-skills.html https://uktech.org/a/has-the-uk-lost-your-skills.html Fri, 28 May 2004 10:32:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint I recently wrote an article for UKTECH, Killing the goose..., which raised the argument that the Government's policy towards small businesses was in… https://uktech.org/a/killing-the-goose.html https://uktech.org/a/killing-the-goose.html Mon, 24 May 2004 09:55:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint The Government has made much play about the need for a vibrant and flexible entrepreneurial sector of the economy, to equip the country to compete on a… https://uktech.org/a/when-a-tax-avoider-becomes-an-evader.html https://uktech.org/a/when-a-tax-avoider-becomes-an-evader.html Thu, 25 Mar 2004 10:24:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint From time to time, the Oxford English Dictionary introduces new words which have found their way into the English language or whose meanings have changed… https://uktech.org/a/ask-an-expert.html https://uktech.org/a/ask-an-expert.html Fri, 14 Nov 2003 08:00:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint I have had some queries about the 'Ask An Expert' section of the UKTECH site, so thought it might be useful if I explained the purpose and structure of it. https://uktech.org/a/uktech-reaches-20-000th-member.html https://uktech.org/a/uktech-reaches-20-000th-member.html Tue, 21 Oct 2003 08:30:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint UKTECH has recently had its 20,000th registered website user join the network. https://uktech.org/a/overseas-companies-get-round-the-removal-of-skill-shortage-list.html https://uktech.org/a/overseas-companies-get-round-the-removal-of-skill-shortage-list.html Tue, 25 Mar 2003 15:28:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint I noticed an article which reported on how an optical components company, Bookham Technologies is set to save £500,000 on "insourcing" IT helpdesk staff… https://uktech.org/a/what-s-in-a-name-freelancing-or-contracting.html https://uktech.org/a/what-s-in-a-name-freelancing-or-contracting.html Tue, 10 Dec 2002 17:12:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint The term ‘Contractor’ owes its origins to the early 1980s when the then Government prevented agents engaging with sole traders. https://uktech.org/a/respect-trust-and-value-for-money.html https://uktech.org/a/respect-trust-and-value-for-money.html Mon, 05 Nov 2001 17:15:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Several recent events in the contracting community have thrown these three key values into sharp relief and are proof positive, if any was required, of… https://uktech.org/a/joe-consultant-answers-computing-s-anonymous-joe-contractor.html https://uktech.org/a/joe-consultant-answers-computing-s-anonymous-joe-contractor.html Fri, 09 Mar 2001 17:41:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint After an unnamed contractor defended IR35 in Computing, UKTECH publishes an equally anonymous consultant's account of how the legislation suits the large… https://uktech.org/a/confusion-and-chaos-reigns.html https://uktech.org/a/confusion-and-chaos-reigns.html Sat, 24 Feb 2001 13:54:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Following on from the Computer People story about using IR35 to persuade clients to break direct contracts, UKTECH received an email from ASP Resourcing… https://uktech.org/a/beware-gm-employees.html https://uktech.org/a/beware-gm-employees.html Mon, 27 Nov 2000 11:49:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint There has been some concern in recent months and years about the unknown damage that can result from tampering with the natural order. https://uktech.org/a/drive-petrol-tankers-and-help-build-an-enterprise-economy.html https://uktech.org/a/drive-petrol-tankers-and-help-build-an-enterprise-economy.html Sun, 01 Oct 2000 20:15:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Whilst acres of newsprint were devoted to the Fuel protest, it was the fact that the Tanker drivers were self-employed that caught my eye. https://uktech.org/a/royal-assent-for-ir-35-and-rip.html https://uktech.org/a/royal-assent-for-ir-35-and-rip.html Sat, 29 Jul 2000 10:54:00 +0000 The Editor Viewpoint The Finance bill and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers act were given Royal assent yesterday The House of Lords debated the Finance bill, but as they… https://uktech.org/a/stick-to-ir35-and-not-general-economics-reader-tells-fellow-poster.html https://uktech.org/a/stick-to-ir35-and-not-general-economics-reader-tells-fellow-poster.html Thu, 08 Jun 2000 10:39:00 +0000 Contributor Viewpoint A contributor defends taking another poster's 12K figure at face value as evidence against IR35, and argues imported workers will spend less in the UK… https://uktech.org/a/food-for-thought.html https://uktech.org/a/food-for-thought.html Tue, 06 Jun 2000 08:17:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Wooks, a contributor to UKTECH has made some excellent comments especially to the "Questions for Gordon" article. https://uktech.org/a/keep-your-eye-on-the-ball.html https://uktech.org/a/keep-your-eye-on-the-ball.html Sat, 03 Jun 2000 13:43:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint It has been said that a lie will be around the world before the truth has got its boots on. https://uktech.org/a/safe-in-new-labours-hands.html https://uktech.org/a/safe-in-new-labours-hands.html Thu, 01 Jun 2000 14:18:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Martin Spicer writes "The "loonies" are definitely running the asylum. https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-contract-negotiations.html https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-contract-negotiations.html Fri, 31 Mar 2000 10:49:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint In a previous life I was responsible for selling products and services totalling over £100 million into countries as diverse as Japan, Malaysia, India… https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-contracts-reality-or-fiction.html https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-contracts-reality-or-fiction.html Sun, 26 Mar 2000 19:25:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint As the founding Chairman of the Professional Contractors Group, I will immediately declare an interest in the organisation - but perhaps that also puts me… https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-avoid-evade-or-cheat.html https://uktech.org/a/viewpoint-avoid-evade-or-cheat.html Sun, 19 Mar 2000 20:25:00 +0000 PCG Founder Viewpoint Apart from the fact they are all five letter words - what do 'avoid', 'evade' and 'cheat' have in common?