Fair Tax for all means uniting businesses big and small


 

We woke up this morning to find our inbox heaving with emails from business and individuals wanting to take positive action against tax avoidance, many of which were prompted by issues highlighted on last night’s BBC2 programme ‘The Town That Took on the Taxman’

We’re absolutely delighted that the programme, featuring businesses from Crickhowell, has got so many more people motivated to take action.

Like the Fair Tax Towns campaign, the Fair Tax Mark is about addressing the deep unfairness at the heart of our tax system, where it seems that there are a range of tax options open for big businesses, options that are unavailable to independents and ordinary workers like you or us.

We hope that the government and HMRC hear the cry from Crickhowell – and start to make changes.

But let’s face it, whether it wants to or not, the UK government can’t end tax avoidance alone.

Whilst tax havens still exist and whilst there are different laws in different countries, some companies will always decide to aggressively exploit those differences – whilst all the time appearing to be acting legally in the UK.

That means we do definitely need to change the law. And yes, we need better collaboration between countries to close loopholes. But we also need to know which businesses are choosing do the right thing, right now.

That is where the Fair Tax Mark comes in.

Massive companies like SSE, the energy provider, or Lush Cosmetics care that their customers would not be happy if they exploited the dazzling array of tax avoidance opportunities available to them.

Like Facebook, Google, Vodafone and others, they could use the fact that they operate in more than one country to their advantage. But they choose not to.

They are true Fair Tax businesses – and we need just as many of them as we need smaller businesses to stand up on this issue.

The Fair Tax Mark is about creating a level playing field for all. We all love our local high streets and small local businesses, and hate to see them undercut by companies that avoid tax.

But most of us interact with larger business too, think banks, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Caffe Nero, phone companies etc. – Wouldn’t it be great if we could choose to spend money just at those with a Fair Tax Mark?

Tax avoidance would soon seem like a bad idea for business…

All Fair Tax Mark businesses

· Commit in public to pay the right amount of tax, at the right time in the right place. Ie.not avoid tax or use tax havens (for small business that means a tax policy)

· They publish the information that enables everyone to see that they’re sticking to their commitments (For small business that means full accounts and sending a letter to your accountant)

Sign up today?