By Tim Saunders on
British actor Bill Nighy is fronting a campaign to introduce a global tax on banks’ financial transactions to fight poverty.
The Robin Hood Tax is backed by charities such as Oxfam and UNICEF, and is led by writer/director Richard Curtis (Notting Hill).
“You could ignore the big problems facing the world … or you can work to find an innovative, modern, regular way of accumulating a fund of money,” the campaign wrote in an open letter to the leaders of the country’s political parties. “We would ask you to seriously consider the Robin Hood Tax as that radical new option – a small tax on bankers that would make a huge difference to the UK, to the poorest countries and to our planet. Let’s turn the crisis for the banks into an opportunity for Britain and the world.”
The campaign calls on banks to pay a levy of 0.005% on every transaction on international markets. The tax would raise over US$175 billion for charities.
To find out more, and watch a promotional video featuring Bill Nighy, visit RobinHoodTax.org.uk.
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