The announcement that anti-austerity direct action group UK Uncut is to target Vodaphone in a new wave of protests follows wide anger at news of Gary Barlow’s tax dodge. The campaign expects hundreds to take action against the mobile phone company in a “national day of action” on 14 June in protest against their tax dodging activities.
UK Uncut, backed by the evidence of Fair Tax campaigner and accountant Richard Murphy, claims that the mobile phone provider “hasn’t paid a penny of corporation tax since 2011”, and that forcing tax avoiders to pay their tax could avert a looming housing crisis in the UK.
Tax avoidance shot back into the headlines this week after a tribunal ruled that former Take That star Gary Barlow should pay back millions of pounds gained from investing in an aggressive tax avoidance scheme. UK Uncut campaigners have laid responsibility with the government. The group says pledges from David Cameron and George Osborne to crack down on tax avoidance by large companies have proven to be “empty words”. Continue reading
In a few short months, UK Uncut has reshaped public opinion on tax avoidance. Its peaceful actions, light-hearted and engaging people never previously involved in political activity, have left 