Voters support stronger action on corporate tax avoidance, says ActionAid poll
Nine out of ten adults in marginal constituencies say tax dodging by large companies is morally wrong, according to a new ComRes poll for ActionAid, with nearly two thirds stating that political party promises to tackle tax avoidance have not gone far enough
Tax avoidance could prove to be a decisive election issue as a new ComRes poll of UK marginal constituencies reveals that nine out of ten adults (88%) in the UK’s marginal constituencies believe tax dodging by large companies is morally wrong, even if it is legal.
The poll, commissioned by the Tax Dodging Bill Campaign and released ahead of the Question Time leaders’ debate – also shows that almost two thirds of those in marginal constituencies (58%) disagree that UK political parties’ promises to tackle tax avoidance have gone far enough.
Four out of five people (84%) living in 40 key battleground constituencies thought it was still too easy for large companies to avoid paying their tax in the UK.
Anger about corporate tax avoidance was shared by adults of all voting intentions.
Multinationals operating in the UK were seen to be taking advantage of the benign global tax rules with 75% of respondents saying that these companies were not paying enough tax.
A similarly high proportion want companies to be open with the public, with almost nine in ten adults (86%) saying it is important to them that large companies which operate in the UK ensure their accounts in all countries are transparent and publicly available.
The Tax Dodging Bill campaign is a coalition of 26 major UK and international development organisations including ActionAid, Oxfam, Christian Aid and the Equality Trust.
Jenny Ricks, head of campaigns at ActionAid said: ‘People still don’t believe that the promises made by political parties on tackling tax dodging go far enough. Pressure is mounting on all parties to act. That’s why the next government must introduce a Tax Dodging Bill – it could bring in billions in the UK and poor countries – money badly needed to fight poverty.’
The campaign is calling for all parties to introduce a Tax Dodging Bill if elected within 100 days of government. The bill is a package of measures to tackle UK corporate tax dodging both in the UK and developing countries. The Tax Dodging Bill could generate at least £3.6bn more a year in tax to fight poverty in the UK, and billions more for developing countries.
Nick Bryer, Oxfam’s head of UK campaigns and policy, said: ‘Taking tougher action on tax dodging should be a no-brainer for our politicians. It would raise billions of pounds to tackle poverty both here in the UK and in poor countries.’
