I am not sure I have the energy to do a review of 2017. Let's just say May blew it, with Trump running her a close second. Does much else need to be added?<\/p>\n
So what of 2018? I know no better than you. But here are some questions about the year to come, reflecting a somewhat personal viewpoint on some issues. There are doubtless other, better ones, that will occur to you.<\/p>\n
1 Will Trump push the big red button in 2018? And will the military obey him if he does?<\/p>\n
2 Will the Tories finally lose their credibility?<\/p>\n
3 Will the Tories survive as a party?<\/p>\n
4 Will Labour offer a meaningful Brexit strategy?<\/p>\n
5 Will the honours system survive Nick Clegg?<\/p>\n
6 Oh, Jeremy Corbyn?<\/p>\n
7 Is this the year people will realise there is a Magic Money Tree, after all?<\/p>\n
8 How many countries will be left in the UK?<\/p>\n
9 How many of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories will be listed as tax havens by the EU?<\/p>\n
10 Which public service will finally crack under the strain of austerity?<\/p>\n
11 Will a UK local authority declare itself unable to deliver the services demanded of it by law rather than impose more cuts in social care?<\/p>\n
12 Will Scotland embrace its ability to tax?<\/p>\n
13 If it becomes clear that Brexit is for one day, if at all, and certainly not for 2019, where will people turn politically?<\/p>\n
14 Will Farage return?<\/p>\n
15 How many peers will the Tories create in an attempt to get their legislation passed?<\/p>\n
16 Will the civil service throw in the towel if Hard Brexit looks likely?<\/p>\n
17 How many unnecessary deaths will there be as the NHS fails to recruit the staff it needs?<\/p>\n
18 What chance peace in Northern Ireland?<\/p>\n
19 Will the English far right turn to guerrilla tactics in the face of soft Brexit?<\/p>\n
20 A wedding and? There\u2019s got to be more than Markle, so what other events will shape the year and distract the media?<\/p>\n
21 Will we finally get public country-by-country reporting?<\/p>\n
22 How many cases will Jo Maugham win?<\/p>\n
23 Will Uber declare bankruptcy in the face of its VAT bills now owing?<\/p>\n
24 HMRC will announce that the tax gap is \u00a334bn in October (+ or - \u00a32 billion, that\u2019s the only thing that can be predicted with certainty)<\/p>\n
25 Will the accountancy institutes finally realise that accounts are for more than shareholders?<\/p>\n
26 When will stock markets crash?<\/p>\n
27 Will corporate America pass on their tax savings as pay rises? And to whom?<\/p>\n
28 Will tech company money in Bermuda go home to the USA? Or is any tax bill enough to prevent that?<\/p>\n
29 Is the Double Irish off the menu?<\/p>\n
30 Will Ipswich Town maintain their record a# the longest running team in the Championship? (No need to answer that: the answer is \u2018yes\u2019)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"