The new Chancellor, Alistair Darling, said in a speech on Wednesday that he wants to simplify the tax system for businesses and individuals.
This would be welcome, but would be a bit of a brave rebuff to his predecessor, Gordon Brown, who more than doubled the amount of tax legislation during his ten years in office. Will Gordo let him do it? This could be a real test for Brown’s stated intention of following a more Cabinet-based style of government.
However, not all has changed at the Treasury. As the FT noted,
“The Treasury declined to say exactly what would constitute simplification…”
Which will make it easier for Darling to say when he has achieved his aim and harder for the rest of us to hold him to account if he does not.
