In a sense this is a double entendre as it implies, not just the ancient approved colour of government tape, but left-leaning paranoia and control-freakery which is ham-stringing UK business.
Today, the plumber ( Not Paul Davidson obviously, but the one we use) came into the office and was complaining bitterly about the problems he had trying to open a bank account for his business.
Up to now he has relied on cash and his own bank account, but as he wanted to send his son to plumbing-school on a grant , he needed a business and a business bank account.
Apart from having banked with Bank of Scotland since he got his first pay packet, they hold his mortgage, his Isa's, his car loan, and a personal loan.
It took nearly 7 months to get the bank account open, which included going into the branch and having the business adviser there fill in the forms and send them off with the relevant documents - twice.
If you want people to be legitimate and pay tax, make it easy.
And get rid of at least half the 10,000 odd pages of UK tax law that no one, not even tax inspectors, appear to understand.
ENORMOUS PS:
Quote from this week's Property Week, regarding the Government's abolition of rate relief on empty buildings - Doug Stewart of Salmon Developments says he will demolish any buildings unlet after 3 months trying - and leave the piles of rubble in situ. " It will serve to remind the public and Ministers what a bad job this government is doing. Rate relief was removed with a promise that it would lower rents and increase the supply of commercial space. Clearly the government is wrong on both counts."
That's how much Brown, Darling, the Treasury and everyone else involved understands about economics and unintended consequences.
2 comments:
The level of bureaucracy at banks is beyond belief. As for the piles of rubble - I hope he goes ahead!
Never never never have your business bank account in the same place as your household account. If you do that, they own you.
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