Action at home and leadership abroad needed to tackle tax avoidance, says TUC

date: 24 January 2013

embargo: For immediate release

Responding to the Prime Minister's speech in Davos today (Thursday) in which he announced that he intends to use the UK Presidency of the G8 to tackle global tax evasion and avoidance, TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:

'We welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to use the G8 Presidency to tackle global tax avoidance. The tens of billions of pounds raised would be a much fairer and more effective way of tackling budget deficits than endless self-defeating austerity.

'But getting to grips with tax avoidance at a global level will not work unless the government takes tougher action closer to home. The UK remains a global leader for tax secrecy, both through the City and its crown dependencies around the world.

'The government should start to close the UK's multi-billion pound tax gap with a far tighter general anti-avoidance principle and minimum tax rates for those at the top so the super-rich begin to pay their fair share.'

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