UK UNCUT LEGAL ACTION

That this House supports UK Uncut Legal Action's initiative to challenge HM Revenue and Customs in the High Court so thatits alleged decision to let Goldman Sachs off its unpaid tax is quashed and the 10 to 20 million that Goldman Sachs owes is given back to the taxpayer; asserts that it is undeniably in the public interest that this important case should go through the UK courts in order to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness; notes that whilst the National Audit Office investigation into tax disputes is welcome, a legal review is the only process that can result in both the declaration that the Goldman Sachs tax deal was unlawful and potentially quash the deal, meaning that the millions lost could be returned to the public purse; further notes that an estimated 25 billion is lost annually to tax avoidance by corporations and the super-rich; maintains that tax justice and the eradication of tax havens are therefore crucial to achieving fairness and equality in the UK and around the world and provide an alternative to the economics of austerity; and calls on the Government to make a concerted effort to clamp down on tax avoidance in order to raise the income the UK needs to protect services currently under threat from the cuts programme and set an international standard for tax justice.