What is the issue?
The problem to be addressed is the continuing lack of tax justice in the UK and other societies. This is an issue because:
- The tax burden is being shifted from capital onto income;
- A lack of tax transparency is fuelling mistrust in business that is unhealthy to long term economic well-being in a mixed economy;
- Tax avoidance and tax evasion by some businesses is distorting competition in their favour and undermining the creation of long term, honest and sustainable companies in the UK;
- Failure to collect tax owing is contributing to the austerity agenda that is creating cuts in services that are harming the wellbeing of many in the UK;
- The tax system is not being used to encourage a sustainable future;
- Political discourse is being undermined by the simplistic presentation of tax issues that undermines true debate and so alienates people from the democratic process.
If the UK and other countries are to have the stable, sustainable and resilient economy they need, these issues and those related to them have to be addressed.
What will the project try to achieve?
The project aims to inform the campaigns of other organisations working on tax related issues so that debate can move on from their current major themes of tax havens, tax avoidance by multinational corporations and the impact of these issues on development to how, in addition, tax reform can be used in the UK and elsewhere to build strong and vibrant resilient economies that can meet more of their needs from the tax revenues that they can fairly raise from the economic activity that takes place within their jurisdictions in ways that are compatible with their other social and economic aims, including the building of long term sustainability and wealth creation.
Who might be interested in this project?
Those likely to be interested in this project include NGOs, politicians, accountants, the tax profession, economists, environmentalists, tax authorities and those civil society organisations tackling the impacts of post-2008 economics on income, growth, sustainability, welfare provision, tax reform, governance, accountability and provision for those on low incomes.