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WE Give Them Millions of Pounds every year. It's about time some of Them Gave US something back.
Starbucks, the MOST Recent multinational to Come under Fire for Tax avoidance, has Agreed to Pay £ 20 mN over the Next Two years, after coffee Sales slumped under the weight of public Protest.
UK Uncut campaigners, who protested at More than 40 Starbucks branches across the Country, say it's 'TOO Little TOO Latte' and That More MUST be DONE to stop Corporations dodging Tax Payments That could be Spent on Protecting Welfare Services.
The protests, Known as The Refuge From Cuts, saw Starbucks branches Transformed into Women's Refuges, crèches and Homeless Shelters to highlight the Harmful Impact of Human Spending Cuts, Including £ 5.6 m being slashed from Violence Against Women Services.
UK Uncut Said it That is Outrageous Vital Services are being Cut in Britain while paying companies SUCH as Starbucks Avoid Tax.
Aid Agencies, HOWEVER, say the Tax dodging Antics of companies here are just the Tip of the Iceberg.
'While the Damage to the British s is Bad enough, the Damage to the s of poorer Countries That is much worse, 'Said Andrew Hogg, head of Media at Christian Aid.
'That Damage Estimates Christian Aid [to Developing Countries] Amounts to Somewhere in the Region of $ 160bn (£ 100bn ) each year -. Money Which if it was available to the governments of poorer Countries could go Somewhere towards Improving Essential Services SUCH as Health and Education
'The Money That Developing Countries lose each year Because of the Tax Antics of big Business is very Nearly one and a half times what they receive in terms of aid. So, on the one hand, you've got relatively rich governments handing out aid, but at the same time you've got the multinationals busy taking out as much as they can from Those Countries. '
Alex Cobham, head of Research at Save The Children, agrees.
'In the UK, WE've Seen Cuts in Real-Term Benefits for some of the poorest People, while WE know That there's a Significant amount of Corporate Tax Unpaid, 'he Said.
'BUT When you're looking at Actually Countries with much Lower Income Levels, the Impact of Lost Revenues More Direct is much - not just on the quality of Development BUT on People's Lives, and WHETHER People are alive at All. Impacts on Things like mortality and Health are Dramatic. '
For Organisations like Save The Children, it's not just an Economic BUT a Political problem.
'Paying Tax is Part of a relationship with the Government and it Gives the right to hold governments to account, 'Said Mr Cobham.
'Unfortunately, When you have Contributing Major taxpayers obviously not in the Same Way, it undermines the Trust All the Way through the system.'
He Believes That Trust is where Damaged, Developing Countries are left with far less Representative and Accountable governments, Which have Fewer Resources BUT are Also less LIKELY to Spend Them for the Benefit of Their citizens.
Nevertheless, aid Agencies have Been encouraged by the UK Government's Recent Announcement That Tax transparency Will be a priority at Next year's G8 summit.
in the wake of the Attention Given to Starbucks' Financial Affairs, campaigners Hope to Keep the Human cost of Tax avoidance at the Forefront of Political Discussions.
'We're obviously pressuring Them, as NGOs, to make Sure That Developing Countries are included in Anything They Agree, 'Said Mr Cobham.
'In Particular, That Would Involve Requiring companies like Starbucks to be much More transparent in each Country where They Operate, in Order for Tax Authorities to See if there are Obvious Problems'. Read More: HTTP : //metro.co.uk/2012/12/17/starbucks-amazon-and-google-tax-avoidance-what-is-the-impact-on-developing-countries-3317029/#ixzz3uWv43ftu
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