2 June 2021

• Molly Scott Cato: “As leaders of the G7 countries the UK should pledge to foster tax justice and to close UK tax havens”

The Green Party has welcomed support for global tax cooperation to prevent corporate tax avoidance at the G7 in Cornwall later this month but called on the UK government to push for a much more ambitious agreement.

Green Party finance spokesperson Molly Scott Cato said:

“Tax shifting by global corporations has drained public coffers and led to growing inequality within and between countries across the world. We welcome President Biden’s initiative to fix a minimum corporate tax rate at the G7. 

“Global tax cooperation is a classic example of enlightened self-interest where, by working together, every country can benefit, while the race to the bottom encouraged by corporations only swells their profits.

“But we need the UK government to be much more ambitious and to cover all global corporations rather than just 100 of the largest digital companies and to extend to smaller companies that drain wealth from the majority world by using tax havens. [1]

“The G7 countries should stick to Biden’s original proposal of a minimum global tax rate of 21%. Watering this down to 15% would add to pressure on many countries that currently have a corporate tax rate of higher than 15%, including the UK, and merely encourage the race to the bottom.”

The amount being lost is vast. The Institute of Public Policy Research has estimated that the Biden proposal would yield an extra £14.7bn annually for the UK, money that is vitally needed as we build back from the pandemic. [2]

Scott Cato said:

“To show real leadership as the chair of the G7 summit the Prime Minister needs to pledge to shut down the UK tax haven network based in our overseas territories. Working through the City of London these make us the centre of the global tax avoidance industry. Without action on the UK overseas territories, all other promises of global tax cooperation ring hollow.”

ENDS

Notes

1 

The deal under discussion will do little to help developing countries who lose most from global tax avoidance:https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/27/global-fair-tax-deal-on-a-knife-edge-says-uk-treasury-source

2 

IPPR report:https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/ending-the-race-to-the-bottom

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1 June 2021

As we enter the final month for EU citizens to claim settled status the Green Party is warning that many EU citizens may end up without secure residence status.

Former MEP Molly Scott Cato said:

‘As an MEP I met many people who have lived in our community for 40 or more years, spent their working lives here, and raised their families here. Many simply take it for granted that they have the right to stay in the communities where they have spent their lives and do not realise that they need to go through a bureaucratic process to guarantee that right.

‘While the publication by the Home Office of Reasonable Grounds to have delayed application to the scheme is welcome, the creation of a hostile environment for EU citizens through aggressive treatment at the border is likely to undermine their confidence that they will receive a fair hearing.

‘The Home Office must step up its information campaign actively encouraging EU citizens to apply for the settled status scheme, especially after refusing to extend the deadline despite Covid making it harder for some people to apply. At a local level, each council should appoint a councillor to take responsibility for the rights of EU citizens resident in the UK, just like Greens have done in Brighton and Hove. And EU citizens’ demand for a paper document to prove their immigration status should be urgently responded to.

Dr Scott Cato concluded:

‘The combination of an underpowered advertising campaign and increased and aggressive checks on EU travellers ahead of the deadline has created unnecessary anxiety amongst EU citizens permanently resident in the UK. The government has failed in its duty to protect these people who have given our country so much.’

Notes:
The form to claim settled status can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status

Further information about claiming status can be found from the charity Settled: https://settled.org.uk/en/

And EU citizens can find further support from campaign group The Three Million: https://www.the3million.org.uk/rights-are-changing

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26 May 2021

• Jonathan Bartley: “Without full accountability, this government will continue to mislead and attempt to spin its way out of taking responsibility”

The Green Party has reiterated its call for a full public and judge-led inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic to begin immediately [1] following the evidence given by Dominic Cummings to MPs today [Wednesday 26 May].

The Prime Minister’s former chief adviser revealed a catalogue of failings in the UK government’s response to Covid-19 which led to the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands of people when he appeared before the health and science joint committee today.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

“The evidence provided by Boris Johnson’s former chief advisor has shocked and saddened many of us in equal measure. 

“From describing a government that simply had no plan, to accusing a Secretary of State of lying, public trust has been seriously undermined by how badly the Government has mismanaged the pandemic and the thousands of avoidable deaths this has caused.

“It is vital that a full public and judge-led inquiry starts immediately to discover exactly what went wrong, ensure that such mistakes are not repeated again and begin to restore public trust.

“Without full accountability, this government will continue to mislead and attempt to spin its way out of taking responsibility. Everybody suffers as this government attempts to gaslight us all over its failings during the pandemic.

“From repeatedly underestimating the impact of the virus, to spending billions on a failed test and trace system, the repeated failings are clear despite attempts to mislead the House and the public by a number of cabinet ministers.

“It will take generations for us to come to terms with what has happened since the beginning of last year, but a full public inquiry could provide the first steps for many to be able to do that.”

ENDS

Notes

            1

https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/03/23/greens-call-for-inquiry-into-government%E2%80%99s-handling-of-covid-19,-one-year-on-from-start-of-lockdown/

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26 May 2021

• Jonathan Bartley: “Without full accountability, this government will continue to mislead and attempt to spin its way out of taking responsibility”

The Green Party has reiterated its call for a full public and judge-led inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic to begin immediately [1] following the evidence given by Dominic Cummings to MPs today [Wednesday 26 May].

The Prime Minister’s former chief adviser revealed a catalogue of failings in the UK government’s response to Covid-19 which led to the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands of people when he appeared before the health and science joint committee today.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

“The evidence provided by Boris Johnson’s former chief advisor has shocked and saddened many of us in equal measure. 

“From describing a government that simply had no plan, to accusing a Secretary of State of lying, public trust has been seriously undermined by how badly the Government has mismanaged the pandemic and the thousands of avoidable deaths this has caused.

“It is vital that a full public and judge-led inquiry starts immediately to discover exactly what went wrong, ensure that such mistakes are not repeated again and begin to restore public trust.

“Without full accountability, this government will continue to mislead and attempt to spin its way out of taking responsibility. Everybody suffers as this government attempts to gaslight us all over its failings during the pandemic.

“From repeatedly underestimating the impact of the virus, to spending billions on a failed test and trace system, the repeated failings are clear despite attempts to mislead the House and the public by a number of cabinet ministers.

“It will take generations for us to come to terms with what has happened since the beginning of last year, but a full public inquiry could provide the first steps for many to be able to do that.”

ENDS

Notes

            1

https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/03/23/greens-call-for-inquiry-into-government%E2%80%99s-handling-of-covid-19,-one-year-on-from-start-of-lockdown/

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24 May 2021

• Jonathan Bartley: “While most people want to see compassion and common sense applied at our borders, it is harder and harder for people to find legitimate routes to claim legal asylum in Britain”

In response to Home Secretary Priti Patel’s keynote speech on immigration today [1], Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

“With every week that goes by, Priti Patel’s twisted immigration policy hits new lows. While most people want to see compassion and common sense applied at our borders, it is harder and harder for people to find legitimate routes to claim legal asylum in Britain. The only winners are the traffickers and smugglers who profit from the misery we create.

“This brutal and heartless agenda is completely at odds with public opinion. When thousands of neighbours stood together to prevent an immigration raid in Glasgow, we saw what the British public really thinks. We won’t stand for a border regime which drags people from their homes, locks them up with no reason and turns people away when they need our help. 

“It’s time to end the hostile environment, provide safe routes for refugees, and put the smugglers and traffickers out of business for good.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/patel-uk-immigration-system-reform-speech-b1852475.html

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