‘Paying tax is a basic duty of every citizen to fund the services, the hospitals, schools, we all depend on: tax cheats must not be allowed to escape paying their fair share.’ – Mark Lazarowicz MP
Speaking the day before the Chancellor delivers the Budget Mark Lazarowicz MP has called for tough action against tax dodging and declared his strong support for Oxfam’s campaign for a new Tax Dodging Bill.
The North and Leith MP attacked the Government for failing to take responsibility to tackle the systematic abuse now revealed at HSBC in Switzerland with clients being helped to conceal so-called “black accounts” from tax authorities and collusion with corruption.
Mark Lazarowicz said: “I am calling for tough action and new legislation to tackle tax dodging by individuals or corporations: it can’t just be shrugged off as something everyone does – they don’t, millions of people work hard every day and still pay their fair share.
“The Government has refused to take responsibility for tackling systematic tax fraud of the kind recently revealed at HSBC: simply passing the buck to Revenue and Customs won’t do.
“Tax avoidance by corporations in the world’s poorest countries is shamefully depriving them of vital revenue.
“Here in the UK we will not rebuild trust in politics if tax dodging by the megarich is left unpunished whilst severe benefit sanctions are imposed for often trivial reasons forcing increasing numbers to turn to food banks.
“Paying tax is a basic duty of every citizen to fund the services, the hospitals, schools, we all depend on: tax cheats must not be allowed to escape paying their fair share.”
Mark Lazarowicz spoke in a major debate on tax dodging last month and you can find his speech here. He is pictured at an event outside Parliament today supporting Oxfam’s campaign for an anti—tax dodging Bill. You can find more details of Oxfam’s campaign here.
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