BN66 - Time to fight back!!!

[Ratican]

Write to your MP - the more awareness of the effects of this - the better

I would strongly urge you to take the time to write to your local MP. You can point out the unfairness of this Retrospective law and how it is in breach of the Human Rights Act. Perhaps you can also outline how it will affect you personally.

Ask them to consider raising the issue in Parliament and with the Revenue.

[nuffsaid]

Hello

Hi All, I decided to stop lurking and say Hi.

I've been in the MP scheme since 2001 right through to 2008, so I'm gonna owe a lot. Hmmmm.

I've learned a lot from this forum so thanks to all who have contributed - I've certainly learned a lot more from here than from MP!!!

[malvolio]

best to use your own wording I think,

Agreed. We were told consituency workers are very good at spotting orchestrated letter-writing campaigns: if they spot one (or think they do) it is disregarded.

[poppy01]

I dont think HMRC are bothered if someone hangs themselves from a tree.
The govt. might be bothered if they got really bad publicity.

Perhaps the poll at the top of this thread should have another option for those who might decide to murder their family, burn the house down and commit suicide. Wonder if that would bother the ba**rds, I doubt it frankly, they'd be no good at their jobs if they gave a sh*t about anyone

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Do It Now!!!

Use this link to email your MP. I was sceptical that I would get a response but I received 2 letters from my MP and a letter from Jane Kennedy.

http://www.writetothem.com/

You don't even need to know who your MP is, just enter your postcode.

Even if your MP is Labour it's worth writing because they still have to look into the matter.

Even if it proves to be a complete waste of time, what will it have cost you?

[expat]

I dont think HMRC are bothered if someone hangs themselves from a tree.
The govt. might be bothered if they got really bad publicity.

You mean like a respected scientist going unexpectedly into the woods and there committing suicide by cutting across his left wrist with his weak right hand, bleeding to death without bleeding a lot, combined with taking 20% of a possibly fatal dose of painkiller, just when what he was saying was an embarrassment to the government? Yeah, they might be bothered.

[Emigre]

You mean like a respected scientist going unexpectedly into the woods and there committing suicide by cutting across his left wrist with his weak right hand, bleeding to death without bleeding a lot, combined with taking 20% of a possibly fatal dose of painkiller, just when what he was saying was an embarrassment to the government? Yeah, they might be bothered.

This Govt doesn't give a sh*t about anyone

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Draft letter to your MP

You could use something like this. Make sure you at least change the wording otherwise it may end up in the reject bin. You can email your MP here, and you don't even need to know their name, just enter your postcode.

http://www.writetothem.com/

Dear <MP>

I am writing to you because I have been personally affected by the retrospective legislation approved by Parliament in the Finance Bill 2008 (Clause 55). If it is implemented, it could cause severe financial hardship to me and my family, possibly leading to insolvency.

My legal advisors have consulted with a leading Tax Counsel who is of the opinion that the legislation infringes my human rights and is therefore unlawful. In their view, the Government has resorted to retrospective measures because HMRC were unwilling to risk litigation. As a consequence, they intend to challenge Clause 55 through a Judicial Review.

I consider myself to be a decent law abiding citizen of this country, and I would never enter into anything that was unlawful. However, by changing the law retrospectively, the Government has made me guilty by default.

As my member of parliament, I was wondering whether I could count on your support to help me seek justice.

Yours sincerely,
...

[poppy01]

You could use something like this. Make sure you at least change the wording otherwise it may end up in the reject bin.

Dear <MP>

I am writing to you because I have been personally affected by the retrospective legislation approved by Parliament in the Finance Bill 2008 (Clause 55). If it is implemented, it could cause severe financial hardship to me and my family, possibly leading to insolvency.

My legal advisors have consulted with a leading Tax Counsel who is of the opinion that the legislation infringes my human rights and is therefore unlawful. In their view, the Government has resorted to retrospective measures because HMRC were unwilling to risk litigation. As a consequence, they intend to challenge Clause 55 through a Judicial Review.

I consider myself to be a decent law abiding citizen of this country, and I would never enter into anything that was unlawful. However, by changing the law retrospectively, the Government has made me guilty by default.

As my member of parliament, I was wondering whether I could count on your support to help me seek justice.

Yours sincerely,
...

I already wrote to Andrew Stunnel (libdem) and got an apologetic reply when they failed to overturn at Treasury Committee stage, but it will be certainly worth writing again if the JR goes our way but the government dont then abandon clause 55...

[DonkeyRhubarb]

I already wrote to Andrew Stunnel (libdem) and got an apologetic reply when they failed to overturn at Treasury Committee stage, but it will be certainly worth writing again if the JR goes our way but the government dont then abandon clause 55...

Like you, I wrote before the bill was passed, so it wouldn't be appropriate to write again so soon.

But IMO, anyone who hasn't already written to their MP should do so now.