Dave Chaplin's anti IR35 campaign

[SussexSeagull]

It needs a massive culture shift from both sides. Every client is different but quite a few of them want contractors to behave like permanent employees up to the point they want to get rid of them quickly. A lot of this is actually quite well intended (managers not wanting to make people feel left out) but has to end.

Conversely we have all worked with contractors whose main task is to ingratiate themselves with the client and get themselves renewed (often ahead of other contractors) and basically act like permanent employees while getting themselves so far in IR35 you would need a trail of string to get out again, having the knock on effect of making anyone who doesn't do it look miserable and uncooperative.

None of this is new of course. Problem is I don't see it being able to change so if the HMRC begin to look into working practices you couldn't blame them for jumping to conclusions.

[Invisiblehand]

Looks like only a handful turned up to the demonstration at Parliament.

[JohntheBike]

Looks like only a handful turned up to the demonstration at Parliament.

and there's the problem.

[Invisiblehand]

and there's the problem.

Yep.

Although if the entire plan was to hold a banner outside Parliament then we were screwed from the start.

[Barry Badrinath]

Hopefully it gets some good exposure across social media, and often the fact they can say they have 'petitioned parliament' is more powerful than the actual event if that makes sense.

Where I work, it's amazing how relaxed (or possibly ignorant) my contractor colleagues (current and former) are about it all. Perhaps gives me an advantage of being ahead of the curve if it does all manifest itself in one of the doomsday scenarios...

[BrilloPad]

Looks like only a handful turned up to the demonstration at Parliament.

Its a great pity.

Mind you, he could have turned up with 60 million people. Would make no difference.

[ShandyDrinker]

and there's the problem.

Exactly.

Yep.

Although if the entire plan was to hold a banner outside Parliament then we were screwed from the start.

I'm pretty sure the entire plan wasn't to hold a banner outside Parliament as there was a drop-in session with a number of MPs attending later on.

Given the number of people likely to be impacted by whatever is in the draft finance bill tomorrow, I'm surprised there wasn't more support.

[JohntheBike]

Exactly.



I'm pretty sure the entire plan wasn't to hold a banner outside Parliament as there was a drop-in session with a number of MPs attending later on.

Given the number of people likely to be impacted by whatever is in the draft finance bill tomorrow, I'm surprised there wasn't more support.

yes, there seems to be too much apathy with many contractors. Perhaps the reality will hit them next year.

Although I am concerned with the proposals, I can walk away from all the issues and retire. However, what concerns me far more is the unjust, unfair and underhand way in which HMRC has behaved in all things IR35 related. If they are not challenged now, it may embolden them more to bring in more draconian measures in other areas which many more people will suffer from. The situation of the NHS consultants is interesting to note. HMG is only taking notice because the NHS is suffering. Governments generally only change as a result of forceful pressure. The history of the UK should demonstrate that fact admirably.

[jamesbrown]

Given the number of people likely to be impacted by whatever is in the draft finance bill tomorrow, I'm surprised there wasn't more support.

CUK is completely unrepresentative of the broader contracting community. Even on CUK, there's probably a minority that know much about IR35.

Of the minority on CUK that know much about IR35, most of them understand that the time for protest has passed (although, TBF, they probably didn't do much in the interim, like actually read and respond to consultations ). The clue has been in the continuity over administrations and, more recently, in HMG's rebuttal of responses to their "consultations".

We're now in an implementation phase. No amount of gnashing of teeth and crying is going to change that; it isn't defeatism, it's realism. The whim of the next PM might upend things, but that seems like a long-shot. Also, no one can accurately predict the actual consequences of this reform N years down the line.

[JohntheBike]

CUK is completely unrepresentative of the broader contracting community. Even on CUK, there's probably a minority that know much about IR35.

Of the minority on CUK that know much about IR35, most of them understand that the time for protest has passed (although, TBF, they probably didn't do much in the interim, like actually read and respond to consultations ). The clue has been in the continuity over administrations and, more recently, in HMG's rebuttal of responses to their "consultations".

We're now in an implementation phase. No amount of gnashing of teeth and crying is going to change that; it isn't defeatism, it's realism. The whim of the next PM might upend things, but that seems like a long-shot. Also, no one can accurately predict the actual consequences of this reform N years down the line.

agreed