TGWU: Darling urged to tackle tax tremors in Budget

TGWU: Darling urged to tackle tax tremors in Budget

TGWU: Darling urged to tackle tax tremors in Budget

Alistair Darling has been urged to tackle tax inequalities and rein in excess energy companies’ profits with a windfall tax in this Wednesday’s Budget.

Unite the union joint general secretaries Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson said this morning the measures were essential to promote fairness, tackle fuel poverty and to send clear and positive messages to Labour supporters.

“It is barely comprehensible that energy companies are announcing multi-billion pound profits and at the same pushing through massive price hikes,” said Tony Woodley. “When we have so many people, especially pensioners, the low paid and those on benefits, in the throes of fuel poverty, it does not make sense to ordinary people.”

Mr. Woodley said the government should ignore claims that investment will suffer and prices will need to rise if a windfall tax is levied. He also rejected accusations that the union is anti-profit.

“The point of a windfall tax is it is a one-off tax. The energy companies have benefited from high world prices. They did nothing to affect that but they have reaped the benefits,” he explained.

Derek Simpson said the Chancellor needed to tackle inequality.

“Unite wants to see the Chancellor tackling the blatant tax inequalities which enable the wealthiest individuals and international corporations to avoid their tax liabilities to the tune of £25 billion a year,” he said. “We want the government to go further on its planned flat £30,000 charge on non-domiciled tax payers and introduce the same tax regime for them as for everyone else.”

“An equitable tax system, whereby everyone pays their fair share, could also have a huge positive impact on public expenditure,” he added. “For example, the government’s plans to cut public expenditure by £30 billion could be radically reversed if non-doms paid tax relative to their income. This would enable the government to build fifty new hospitals or increase the pay of all public sector workers in line with average earnings.”

ENDS

For further information please contact the Unite press office on 020 7611 2550

Andrew Dodgshon
Unite Press Office
020 7611 2550
07976 832156

andrew.dodgshon@unitetheunion.com

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