According to a survey, more than three-quarters (77%) of the British public do not think the Government has done enough to ensure we are “all in this together” with a large majority saying that banks and the richest have not been asked to make a fair contribution.
The poll of more than 1,000 people carried out by Ipsos MORI for the Robin Hood Tax campaign, found that two-thirds (68%) of the public thought City funding of the Conservative Party had a significant impact on the Government’s regulation and taxation of the financial sector.
It found that 71% thought banks and the financial sector are “not being asked to pay their fair share”. The corresponding figure for high income earners was 67%.
David Hillman, Robin Hood Tax campaign spokesperson, said: “This is the clearest evidence yet that the public is tired of the Government’s failure to make banks pay their fair share to society. People are tired of seeing their schools and hospitals cut while a sector that relied on taxpayers money to survive gives lottery-sized bonuses to bankers whatever their performance.
“It is time the Government acted in the interests of the whole country not just one square mile. The City may give the Conservatives half their funds but it accounts for just 10% of the UK economy.”
The poll shows the public have clearly identified the City and high earners above other groups as not paying their fair share. Only 3% cited low and middle income earners. Public sector workers and business were cited by only 7% and 15% respectively.
Of the two-thirds of people who said the fact the Conservatives receive more than 50 per cent of funding from individuals and companies involved in the financial sector would lead to bias, 27% said it would make a great deal of difference and 41% a fair amount. Only 3% said City funding of the Conservatives would have no affect on the Government’s decisions.
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