This week's opinion: 10 October 2024

This is certainly a time of change at HMRC. There are two new non-executive directors of the board including Bill Dodwell who will be well known to many readers. Exchequer secretary to the Treasury James Murray has in a break from tradition been made chairman of the board and Jim Harra has just announced that he is standing down as chief executive in the spring. We have the first Budget of a new government only a few weeks away and we already know that the key strategic priorities will be closing the tax gap and improving customer service. Both of these we are told will be underpinned by a new digital transformation road map which is due to be published early next year.

I think that it is no coincidence that the other new non-executive director Mike Bracken is an expert...