Have you written to your MP yet?

[mudskipper]

Coded response from Tory MPs - "Well we said we'd crack down on tax avoidance - or did you think we meant all tax avoiders apart from you"

Coded response from Labour MPs - "Serves the Tory voters right, but consider yourself lucky - we'd have slammed you even harder"

Coded response from SNP MPs - "You should have voted Yes - and then everything would have been dunky dory"

Coded response from LibDem MPs - who cares, there's hardly any of them left.

Mine's Tory - I'll report back what he says...

[pr1]

Mine's labour

to be honest I'm too embarrassed to write complaining that I (probably top 5% of uk earners, probably top 1% of under 30s) can't get tax relief on my travel etc - I expect my MP will be getting pleas from people not being able to afford school clothes for their kids due to reduced benefits - totally separate problem I know, but putting things into perspective, it's not the end of the world if I can't claim my travel - I'll still have food on the table

Totally understand the argument that it's discriminating smallCo's vs bigCo's (and to be honest that's the only bit of the argument I 100% agree with, as nobody here is forced into 300mile commutes, they choose to because they want to charge a decent rate) but I can't see my labour MP giving a fork, I think if labour had their way it would be even worse

(I voted Tory, but only for the feeling of "I did all I could" - my constituency will always be labour)

[mudskipper]

Mine's labour

to be honest I'm too embarrassed to write complaining that I (probably top 5% of uk earners, probably top 1% of under 30s) can't get tax relief on my travel etc - I expect my MP will be getting pleas from people not being able to afford school clothes for their kids due to reduced benefits - totally separate problem I know, but putting things into perspective, it's not the end of the world if I can't claim my travel - I'll still have food on the table

Totally understand the argument that it's discriminating smallCo's vs bigCo's (and to be honest that's the only bit of the argument I 100% agree with, as nobody here is forced into 300mile commutes, they choose to because they want to charge a decent rate) but I can't see my labour MP giving a fork, I think if labour had their way it would be even worse

(I voted Tory, but only for the feeling of "I did all I could" - my constituency will always be labour)

What about the IR35 discussion document? Do you feel the same way about that?

[Eirikur]

No, being in David Cameron's constituency is not going to help

[malvolio]

I suppose you do all realise that if you write to your MP about a matter that is effectively down to a minister, they will have to pass the letter on for an answer. They won't answer it themselves, since they are neither authorised or informed enough to do so. And if they do, then write back and explain why you aren't satisfied with their answer.

So a few thousand forwarded letters from across the country all landing on Gauke's desk will make something of a point. Therefore the more that write to their MPs, the more effective everyone's campaigning will be and the more the point is made that this is a disaster in the making.

One thing is certain; whining impotently on here about ineffective MPs won't achieve anything. We - or rather you - have to use the system

[pr1]

What about the IR35 discussion document? Do you feel the same way about that?

I'll probably end up doing the same as 99% of contractors

complain on the internet, do nothing productive, wait for some other poor b*****d to go through a full investigation, let ipse deal with it, keep invoicing, pay off as much of my mortgage as I can, keep complaining on the internet

then:
if ipse win, keep going as planned
if ipse lose, go through an umbrella and forever remember the "good times"

[blackstreet]

Yes i have and below is the response.
---------------
That you very much for contacting me with your concerns about the impact of the 2015 Summer Budget on small businesses and personal service companies. I have written to George Osborne MP, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, enclosing a copy of your letter and asking him to respond to the issues you have raised. I will be in touch with you once I receive a response.

Thanks again for taking the time to get in touch.
----------------

Im not holding my breath, but its amazing how few contractors are aware of the changes, or are bothered. The scale of change is massive and fundamentally changes the viability. I think a number of people are in for a big wake up call.

[SueEllen]

I haven't written to my Tory MP yet and knowing the kind of things he is into just copying the template won't be enough. I need to modify it. He won't be interested in dividend tax but T&S will and IR35 may get the right response.

DONE

[mudskipper]

I haven't written to my Tory MP yet and knowing the kind of things he is into just copying the template won't be enough. I need to modify it. He won't be interested in dividend tax but T&S will and IR35 may get the right response.

Yes, I wrote my own letter - I think that's the way to go. I also didn't moan about divvy tax - my concerns are things that treat "PSCs" differently from bigCo.

[d000hg]

I'm not sure I am ideologically opposed to the changes which we think are coming, or at least not all of them - I don't really know what they all ARE. So at least, some bullet-point list of the issues and an outline of a letter would surely help me and others to write if we feel things are not right, on the topics we are worried about.

e.g: I don't want to pay dividend tax but I struggle to see why I shouldn't, however being forced to pay employer's NI I very much would disagree with.