HMRC has been investigating alleged tax avoidance by genuine contractors for a decade. During this time they have not had any court decisions which support this assertion.

Instead of continuing to investigate and allowing an independent judiciary to decide if the arrangements are wrong, budgetary announcements and proposed legislation will allow HMRC to tax these arrangements without a court or any other impartial third party decision.

The Budget of March 2016 proposes a tax charge on this group of hard working, skilled professionals on alleged payments from 10 or more years ago. Not only will this charge be at a rate in excess of even the additional tax rate, it will ignore vital protections granted to all taxpayers in law and the separation of powers which forms the basis of our country’s constitution. It is a unilateral extension of power that tramples all safeguards to taxpayers and risks setting a dangerous precedent, rendering the contractor market extinct.

We, the undersigned, believe that this extension of unaccountable powers is completely without foundation or justification and requires a full debate in Parliament.