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Super-rich 'should pay more tax' | Super-rich 'should pay more tax' |
(about 23 hours later) | |
The "super-rich" should pay more tax in an effort to reduce child poverty and fight crime, says the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). | The "super-rich" should pay more tax in an effort to reduce child poverty and fight crime, says the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). |
Brendan Barber said "loopholes" for UK citizens who spent time abroad meant tax breaks worth £4bn a year, putting a greater burden on lower earners. | Brendan Barber said "loopholes" for UK citizens who spent time abroad meant tax breaks worth £4bn a year, putting a greater burden on lower earners. |
These had to be closed, he added, with the money raised spent on reducing child poverty - a key cause of crime. | |
But Mr Barber denied his campaign was guided by the "politics of envy". | But Mr Barber denied his campaign was guided by the "politics of envy". |
'Heavy price' | 'Heavy price' |
Speaking ahead of the TUC annual congress, which starts in Brighton on Monday, he said: "Today a significant group of super-rich float free from the rest of society, and think that tax is for the little people. | Speaking ahead of the TUC annual congress, which starts in Brighton on Monday, he said: "Today a significant group of super-rich float free from the rest of society, and think that tax is for the little people. |
"Today the rest of society pays a heavy price for the wealth gap - whether middle, low or no income." | "Today the rest of society pays a heavy price for the wealth gap - whether middle, low or no income." |
If you come from a poor background, you now have less chance of escaping it than you did a generation ago Brendan Barber, TUC | If you come from a poor background, you now have less chance of escaping it than you did a generation ago Brendan Barber, TUC |
Mr Barber said this "distorted" the housing market, adding: "The gap harms social cohesion - and without joining the moral panic about crime rates in the UK, it's noticeable that many countries with a fairer distribution of income have lower crime rates." | Mr Barber said this "distorted" the housing market, adding: "The gap harms social cohesion - and without joining the moral panic about crime rates in the UK, it's noticeable that many countries with a fairer distribution of income have lower crime rates." |
Some 112,000 people currently benefit from "non-domiciliary tax breaks", he added. | Some 112,000 people currently benefit from "non-domiciliary tax breaks", he added. |
When asked about the size of City bonuses, Mr Barber said they had reached £14bn in total this year. | When asked about the size of City bonuses, Mr Barber said they had reached £14bn in total this year. |
But he added that the TUC was not calling for a change in the rate of income tax for the highest earners. | But he added that the TUC was not calling for a change in the rate of income tax for the highest earners. |
Unions, he said, had to "build support for a new progressive consensus of equality and redistribution - not based on the old politics of envy but on a new politics of cutting the costs of inequality". | Unions, he said, had to "build support for a new progressive consensus of equality and redistribution - not based on the old politics of envy but on a new politics of cutting the costs of inequality". |
Poverty costs the UK economy £40bn a year - more than £600 a person - according to the TUC. | Poverty costs the UK economy £40bn a year - more than £600 a person - according to the TUC. |
Mr Barber said there had to be more emphasis on affordable housing and a "social wage". | Mr Barber said there had to be more emphasis on affordable housing and a "social wage". |
He added: "The top 3% of the population own three times as much as the bottom half of the population. | He added: "The top 3% of the population own three times as much as the bottom half of the population. |
"And, if you come from a poor background, you now have less chance of escaping it than you did a generation ago - an appalling legacy of the 'greed is good' 1980s." | "And, if you come from a poor background, you now have less chance of escaping it than you did a generation ago - an appalling legacy of the 'greed is good' 1980s." |
Mr Barber promised to "encourage a debate on the values" which led to inequality. | Mr Barber promised to "encourage a debate on the values" which led to inequality. |
The TUC congress runs until Thursday. | The TUC congress runs until Thursday. |
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