‘Tax dodging is morally unacceptable and is robbing the poor’ (From Knutsford Guardian)
Send us news by text, start your message Knutsford News and your send photos and videos to 80360
‘Tax dodging is morally unacceptable and is robbing the poor’
11:10am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News
Rev Rob Cotton from Knutsford Methodist Church outside the bus that parked up in Knutsford
A SPECIAL bus service pulled into Knutsford on Friday to highlight the UK’s problem with tax dodgers.
The Tax Bus drew up in Knutsford outside the Sessions House on Toft Road, on day 50 of its 53-day tour of the UK and Ireland.
Christian Aid’s and Church Action on Poverty’s Tax Justice Bus has been stopping off around the country, highlighting how global tax dodging is hurting the poor in the UK and beyond.
Many townspeople, including Knutsford Mayor Clr Vivien Davies, were present to learn how tax dodging by multi-national companies costs developing countries more than $160 billion a year.
Tax dodging also impacts the UK, with £35 billion uncollected.
Niall Cooper, Church Action on Poverty, said: “At a time when spending cuts are having a devastating impact on the UK’s poorest people and communities, tax dodging is morally unacceptable.
“It amounts to robbing the poor. If the Government collected the £35 billion of tax they know is going uncollected they could invest properly in tackling UK poverty.”
Paul Brannen, from Christian Aid, said: “We estimate tax dodging by some unscrupulous multinational companies costs developing countries $160 billion a year, which is one-and-a-half times the total global aid budget.
“It’s money that could be used to make huge improvements to public services such as healthcare and education, better enabling people to sustain themselves.
“By making changes to the tax system people across the world can live healthier, happier and less hungry lives.”
