Ann L Humphrey

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

A lunatic by any other name
24.11.11

In February I went to a talk about the history of tax organized by the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers. The speaker was Professor Chantal Stebbings, the subject, ‘Victorian Asylums: the Tax Factor’.

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Here be dragons
15.09.11

'If regulations are not clear and orders are not thoroughly explained, it is the commander’s fault.’

Sun Tzu quoted in the Shih Chi (‘Records of the Grand Historian’) by Ssu–ma Ch’ien

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Red Queen Syndrome
15.08.11

‘Well, in our country,’ said Alice, still panting a little, ‘you'd generally get to somewhere else - if you run very fast for a long time, as we've been doing.’

‘A slow sort of country!’ said the [Red] Queen. ‘Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!’

Lewis Carroll in ‘Through the Looking-Glass'

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

A sting in the ale
20.07.11

Cornish brewer Foodswild is facing a backdated excise duty bill after HMRC concluded that its Cornish Stingers nettle beer was not, in fact, a beer.

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Saving a stamp
30.05.11

Any business that registered or should have registered for VAT after 31st March 2010 has had to submit its VAT Return online and pay electronically. The only exception (in new regulation 25A(4) Value Added Tax Regulations 1995) is for businesses run by those whose religious beliefs prevent them from using computers. So faith doesn’t just move mountains...

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Bon voyage
25.04.11

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Some like it hot
15.03.11

It recently took 53 pages for a Tribunal to explain why takeaway toasted Subs and meatball marinara filling, as sold by fast-food outlet Subway, are subject to VAT.  

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Rabbit in the headlights
10.02.11

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

SDLT: a double whammy
20.01.11

Taxidermy: getting under the skin of tax law

Tax and taxis
07.01.11

‘I had that Christopher Marlowe in my boat once.’

Taxi-Boatman in ‘Shakespeare in Love’