£5.5 billion seems like a huge underestimate in my view as does £500 million to phoenixism.

You hit the nail on the head with the running down of staff numbers at hmrc.

I wouldn't be surprised if we scratched a little deeper we'd find politicians (tories) up to their necks in vape shop payola obviously through another shell company.

I say tories because the decimation of hmrc happened on their watch.