UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Wednesday 21 March 2012

A Budget Bonanza for Bent Businesses

The Guardian reports an under-current running through the budget which exposes the duplicity of the Lib Dems who are complicit in a budget settlement that will take money from the poorest to subsidize a £20 billion tax bonanza for bent businesses that avoid paying UK taxes.

Whilst they are attempting to use the fig leaf of tax cuts at the lower end – which incidentally go nowhere near meeting the hikes in cost of living that ordinarily people are paying for because of their economic mis-management, Osborne’s unfettered cronyism is in full swing making it easier for big business to avoid paying their dues: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/19/britains-tax-rules-written-by-multinationals?INTCMP=SRCH

It is a double whammy for public sector workers. Why? Because the very companies involved in ‘advising’ government on taxation matters are the same companies that receive the hard earned cash of our members in pension fund investments.

The New Labour self- styled monetary assets working group, continued by the Tories, consists of household names such as Vodafone, Shell, Diageo, Tesco, G4S, International Power and BHP Billiton – all regular names appearing on your pension fund investment reports.

So whilst we are withering on the vine faced with job losses, pay freezes, also known as pay cuts, rampant price inflation and VAT at 20%, plus unprecedented costs of fuel and utilities you will be pleased to know your pension funds are helping these tax avoiding spivs, prop up a Tory chancellor, who like a modern day Sheriff of Nottingham is stealing from the poor to give to the rich.

Anna Rose