Responding to comments made by the Prime Minister to the Federation of Small Business that “I don’t really like taxes” the Green Party leader will tonight tell students at Canterbury Christ Church University that the Prime Minister is "effectively saying that he doesn't like schools, hospitals, roads, police, for all of these services and institutions are paid for through our taxes".
Natalie Bennett continued:
"The taxes we pay are investments in our communities, in having the facilities and services that all of us will need at some time or another, and the safety net that should ensure everyone in our society, whatever their needs, abilities or luck, has a decent quality of life.
"Is this is the same David Cameron who in Davos last year was proclaiming to lead the global fight against "aggressive avoidance" of tax?
"Is it any wonder that this government has taken no effective action against the parasitical multinational companies like Amazon, Starbucks and Ikea who've chosen to arrange their affairs so they pay peanuts in tax, while they sponge off other people's taxes to provide the roads, policing, education and other services essential to their businesses.”
The Green Party does support significant reform of our tax system, to make it more progressive, including replacing council tax with land value tax and VAT with 'damage taxes' reflecting the environmental and social costs of products.