10 brilliant questions you asked about Oxfam’s inequality report
Oxfam’s new report, ‘The Inequality Virus’, reveals that the wealth of the ten richest men has increased by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began. This is more than enough to pay for a vaccine for all and prevent anyone on Earth from falling into poverty because of the virus. We have received lots of great questions about the report, here’s our …
A fairer tax system is essential to ‘building back better’
Tax Justice UK shares Oxfam’s commitment to tackling inequality, eradicating poverty and standing up for those who typically struggle to get their voices heard. The need to address these issues has only become more urgent in light of the covid-19 pandemic, which in the UK as elsewhere has had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable in society, including ethnic …
In case you missed it – progress on tax justice!
On the face of it, this week may not appear to have been particularly auspicious for tax justice campaigners. The big story, about big money (thirteen billion euros), was that the European Court of Justice ruled that Apple does not have to pay that amount to the Irish government. It was not proven that the very low tax rates Apple had, were the …
Levelling up: how wealth taxes can reduce inequalities
How far will this week’s budget go in ‘levelling up’ the UK in line with the government’s stated aims? Whilst much of the public debate has centred on what changes to taxing and spending the new Chancellor Rishi Sunak could make, there has been less analysis about how proposed measures could reduce economic inequality, which is surely a key hallmark …
Podcast: The politics of counting, review of “The Uncounted” with Alex Cobham
We speak to the Tax Justice Network‘s Alex Cobham about his upcoming book “The Uncounted”, which gives an insight into the politics of counting. Franziska Mager from Oxfam GB, also joins us to give her perspective as a researcher on inequality. We discuss who’s missing from the stats at the very bottom and the very top of society, and how …
What do the tax rates UK companies pay tell us about the need for global tax reform?
Amidst stories of companies avoiding tax (for example, Mauritius Leaks recently), and apparently endless international discussions about how to deal with this phenomenon, it can be difficult to understand whether multinational companies are paying more or less tax these days than in the past. Despite efforts at the global level (for example, the ‘BEPS project’) and at the national level, including here in the UK …
Why taxing wealth more effectively can help to reduce inequality and poverty
Since 2014, Oxfam’s Even It Up campaign has been pressing governments to tackle economic inequality because it is hindering efforts to end poverty. Recent World Bank estimates show that according to current economic growth predictions – and if present levels of inequality remain unchanged – in 2030 about 6.5% of the global population will still be living in extreme poverty. …
Law as a tool to empower and achieve change
Noélie Coudurier, Sreetama Gupta Bhaya and Laura Gyte share a wealth of examples demonstrating how law can help drive positive change. As campaigners, we can feel ambivalent about law. As a product of society, it’s often structured to protect the privileged. Even the most progressive constitutions in the world, forged in times of political transformation and hope, are not yet …