Tax bus tour to raise awareness of tax dodging

Christian Aid and Church Action on Poverty are hitting the road this autumn with their call for tax justice.

The charities will be traversing the nation for a seven-week Tax Justice Bus Tour with the message that tax avoidance is keeping millions of people trapped in a life of poverty.

The organisations warn that global companies are contributing to poverty by avoiding paying tax that could be spent on essential services in the UK and in poor countries.

In a joint letter to The Times newspaper, they and the leaders of the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Baptist Union of Great Britain say that in an age of austerity, it is the moral duty of individuals and companies to pay taxes.

Christian Aid said that tax dodging often meant no clean water, sanitation, roads, schools or hospitals in poor countries.

Paul Brannen of Christian Aid said: "By teaming up with church action on poverty we hope to explain via the tax justice bus the damaging impact tax dodging is having on poor people both in the developing world and in Britain and Ireland.

"As well as exposing this scandal we will be advocating solutions and encouraging politicians and church leaders to act."

Church Action on Poverty warned that in the UK, tax dodging was contributing to cuts in benefits for families, children and disabled people, less care for the elderly, less childcare, libraries, youth services and other vital community facilities.

Church Action on Poverty and Christian Aid will be using the Tax Justice Bus Tour to call on church members and supporters across Britain and Ireland to join the movement for tax justice and to call on the Prime Minister to take action.

On the web: www.church-poverty.org.uk/taxbus