BN66 - Court of Appeal and beyond

[moira under the stairs]

Just A Thought

I think this is a great idea ! - Any volunteers ?

How does public speaking about our plight and the scheme we used infringe the no disclaimer we all signed up to ? .... or is that null and void now ?

addendum:
I suppose it could be done without going into scheme specifics and just mention that it was a legal (at the time) scheme.

[Morlock]

Advert?

Up until lately I have thought that advertising our case would be a waste of money, but the Barclays retrospection seems to have attracted at least some attention from people who think it's a bad thing. I think an advert might now be a worthwhile punt. The aim should be to increase publicity and generate further interest from other sections of the media - perhaps even find a right-minded champion looking for a cause. A full-page black&white ad in the Times will cost £16,645. Between 3000 of us that would work out at just over a fiver each. Some may not want to contribute... but I'm happy to stump up £100. Are there 167 other people out there willing to do likewise...?

[reckless]

Advert

Up until lately I have thought that advertising our case would be a waste of money, but the Barclays retrospection seems to have attracted at least some attention from people who think it's a bad thing. I think an advert might now be a worthwhile punt. The aim should be to increase publicity and generate further interest from other sections of the media - perhaps even find a right-minded champion looking for a cause. A full-page black&white ad in the Times will cost £16,645. Between 3000 of us that would work out at just over a fiver each. Some may not want to contribute... but I'm happy to stump up £100. Are there 167 other people out there willing to do likewise...?

Count me in. Just advise the name/address or account number and it will be on it's way. At least that will be 100 quid the thieving bar stewards won't ultimately get their hands on!

[sjw]

Up until lately I have thought that advertising our case would be a waste of money, but the Barclays retrospection seems to have attracted at least some attention from people who think it's a bad thing. I think an advert might now be a worthwhile punt. The aim should be to increase publicity and generate further interest from other sections of the media - perhaps even find a right-minded champion looking for a cause. A full-page black&white ad in the Times will cost £16,645. Between 3000 of us that would work out at just over a fiver each. Some may not want to contribute... but I'm happy to stump up £100. Are there 167 other people out there willing to do likewise...?

I think a reality check is in order.

Do you really think Joe Public is going to be outraged on our behalf? How many of them actually would have liked to have seen MP's retrospectively taxed over their expenses? As for attempting to get MP's on our side I very much doubt anyone would touch us with a barge poll precisely because of how it would look in Joe Public's eyes. And a media campaign would only make it worse!

My opinion (for what it's worth) is this:

1) Let the process run it's due course and keep it out of the media eye - if by some miracle we do win do you really want a spot light on us in the same way that Goldman and Vodaphone had in this climate? We should concentrate our efforts on solid facts - we know the next likely route (let's forget ECHR shall we) is a tax tribunal so that's where we should focus.

2) Investigate our options with regards to taking legal action against Montpelier. All I hear on this forum is outrage that the government dare impose this charge on us etc etc. Well hold up - Montpelier took 10% for providing a service that ultimately didn't work - and they told just as many lies and withheld just as much information as HMRC did. And funnily enough the fees that MP charged pretty much match the interest that Hector wants to grab that we're doubly enraged about. I know it will probably come to nought but don't try telling me it's not worth looking into whilst at the same time proposing that hiring a plane with a banner highlighting our cause just might do the trick...

I'd rather spend on a decent lawyer.

[BrilloPad]

I think a reality check is in order.

Do you really think Joe Public is going to be outraged on our behalf? How many of them actually would have liked to have seen MP's retrospectively taxed over their expenses? As for attempting to get MP's on our side I very much doubt anyone would touch us with a barge poll precisely because of how it would look in Joe Public's eyes. And a media campaign would only make it worse!

My opinion (for what it's worth) is this:

1) Let the process run it's due course and keep it out of the media eye - if by some miracle we do win do you really want a spot light on us in the same way that Goldman and Vodaphone had in this climate? We should concentrate our efforts on solid facts - we know the next likely route (let's forget ECHR shall we) is a tax tribunal so that's where we should focus.

2) Investigate our options with regards to taking legal action against Montpelier. All I hear on this forum is outrage that the government dare impose this charge on us etc etc. Well hold up - Montpelier took 10% for providing a service that ultimately didn't work - and they told just as many lies and withheld just as much information as HMRC did. And funnily enough the fees that MP charged pretty much match the interest that Hector wants to grab that we're doubly enraged about. I know it will probably come to nought but don't try telling me it's not worth looking into whilst at the same time proposing that hiring a plane with a banner highlighting our cause just might do the trick...

I'd rather spend on a decent lawyer.

I agree over the media stuff.

But it is best to leave the legal stuff until we pay up or finally lose. Why upset MP now and have them dump us? They are doing their best now - no guarantee that will continue.

[TalkingCheese]

Write to your MP !

I think a reality check is in order.

...As for attempting to get MP's on our side I very much doubt anyone would touch us with a barge poll ...

As a result of my letter I have a meeting with my MP. He is currently in touch with the Chancellor of the exchequer and head of HMRC regarding this matter. For me that is a step in the right direction...

[sjw]

I agree over the media stuff.

But it is best to leave the legal stuff until we pay up or finally lose. Why upset MP now and have them dump us? They are doing their best now - no guarantee that will continue.

Okay - I should clarify - I don't suggest for a minute that we take legal action now against Montpelier - but I would at least like to know where we stand. As I said it will probably come to nothing (ie the winding up of the Montpelier tax company makes for interesting timing) but I would rather spend my money on obtaining real facts than trying to p+ss against the wind.

Talking Cheese - with regards to your MP contacting the chancellor and HMRC on your behalf - of course they have - that's their bloody job! One read of any newspaper is going to tell you that there is only one direction when it comes to tax right now - and it ain't reverse.

[TalkingCheese]

Write to your MP !

...Talking Cheese - with regards to your MP contacting the chancellor and HMRC on your behalf - of course they have - that's their bloody job! One read of any newspaper is going to tell you that there is only one direction when it comes to tax right now - and it ain't reverse.

Ok, but I am not giving up that easily. If it doesnt harm our case...

[nevergiveup]

Ok, but I am not giving up that easily. If it doesnt harm our case...

Nice one TalkingCheese.

[SantaClaus]

Up until lately I have thought that advertising our case would be a waste of money, but the Barclays retrospection seems to have attracted at least some attention from people who think it's a bad thing. I think an advert might now be a worthwhile punt. The aim should be to increase publicity and generate further interest from other sections of the media - perhaps even find a right-minded champion looking for a cause. A full-page black&white ad in the Times will cost £16,645. Between 3000 of us that would work out at just over a fiver each. Some may not want to contribute... but I'm happy to stump up £100. Are there 167 other people out there willing to do likewise...?

I'd be happy to contribute £100 less to HMRC.

But the thing is, as a group we are so dis-organised and there are so many conflicting opinions, I wonder if we will ever get a campaign off the ground. This group swings between despondency and hope, fighting talk and defeat. Contrast that with HMRC who know exactly what they want and are acting in unison.

In order to change anything, everyone first has to be in agreement as to what is to be done.