Ecumenical charity disappointed by Spring Budget

Bringing the petition to Downing Street

The ecumenical JustMoney movement has expressed disappointment in the UK Government's Spring Budget.

Calling for policies that "demonstrate love of neighbour and care for creation," they say: "as Christians we want to live in a society that looks after the most vulnerable and stewards the earth. "

"We need major changes to address extreme inequality and to invest in public services, including through the tax system. Meanwhile the climate emergency needs long term structural change to transition the economy to "net zero" carbon emissions.

"But instead we saw short term fixes like a three-month extension of the Energy Price Guarantee scheme, where we need long term reform of the energy market so everyone has access to clean, affordable energy. Tax cuts for big companies and lifting the lifetime pensions allowance are measures that help the best-off in society, while the most vulnerable continue to suffer. And in a week when there have been warning signs of turmoil in the global financial markets, talk of further deregulation should sound alarm bells, when we need a finance sector that serves people and planet, not the other way around."

"Before the Budget the JustMoney Movement delivered a letter signed by more than 2000 Christians from different denominations, urging the Chancellor to introduce new taxes on wealth. Recent research ( see: www.taxjustice.uk/blog/brits-back-an-annual-tax-on-the-super-rich-to-help-rebuild-the-nhs-and-public-services ) reveals that a 2% annual wealth tax on people with over £10 million in assets could alone raise £22 billion. Thank you if you were one of the people who signed this letter."

"Our views were also featured in media such as Church Times, Keep the Faith and UCB News, bringing the voice of people of faith to this issue."

LINK

JustMoney Movement - https://justmoney.org.uk/about-us/