OXFAM research has revealed that the richest one per cent of the UK population has captured more than a quarter of the £4 trillion increase in national wealth since 2000, while the poorest struggle to make ends meet.

At the same time, rich UK individuals dodge paying £5 billion in tax each year by holding their money in tax havens like the British Virgin Islands.

The recent Panama Papers leak revealed widespread tax dodging by a powerful global elite and multinational companies and a strong connection between the UK and the firm at the heart of the scandal, Mossack Fonseca. More than half of the 300,000 companies it has acted for are registered in UK-linked tax havens, as well as the UK itself.

Tax havens and tax dodging are two of the major drivers of inequality and it is the world’s poorest countries which suffer most from international tax dodging. This costs developing nations £140bn a year which is 50 per cent more than the total amount they receive in aid from rich countries.

Our government is well placed to use its influence to insist on greater transparency. Next month there is an anti-corruption summit taking place in London. Oxfam hopes that the Government will use this opportunity to bring about change. Tax dodging is a form of corruption.

So often we hear of tax being described in a very negative way but of course it provides the schools, hospitals and infrastructure that we all depend on, This is especially true in the world’s poorest countries where multinational companies are dodging tax by using tax havens. This results in governments being unable to fund life-saving healthcare such as midwives and vaccinations for children. We urge you to join us in trying to end this global injustice.

Hazel Jones

Bradford on Avon Oxfam Group

Regents Place

Bradford on Avon