Its election time…

Put tax justice on the mapPhoto: Kristian Buus/ ActionAid

The financial crisis has left the economy in a mess

We’ve been through the deepest recession on record

We’re facing

An enormous deficit…Cuts in public spending…

Tax rises

The World Bank predicted that thefinancial crisis could trap 53 million

more people into povertyhttp://bit.ly/axBjmZ

Alicket Masenda, Malawi. 'I am affected by the rising food price because I don't have any income and can't buy anything. The children had no food since the morning"

Photo: Frederic Courbet/Panos Picures/ActionAid

“Savage” cuts on public servicesNick Clegg

Politicians are talking about

“Difficult decisions” to cut the deficitDavid Cameron

The "tough truth” and “hard choices" for the economy to recoverGordon Brown

But there is another solution, which could make a big difference…

to build a fairer system

We need

Tax revenues are essential for all countries. In developing countries they pay for things suchas doctors and teachers’salaries that can’t be easily covered by short term aid.

So what are we calling for?

One…

A small tax on the banks to help pay for the fall out of the financial crisis AKA

A 0.05 per cent tax on speculative banking transactions like foreign exchange, derivatives trading and share deals, can raise hundreds of

billions of pounds every year.

Money that can help stop cuts in crucial public services in the UK,

And aid the fight against global poverty and climate change.Photo: Andrew Aitchison/Oxfam

Without tax justice, children will continue to be denied an education.International aid can help build schools – but teachers have to be paid by government tax revenues.

Akalam Amlama works in Miyuyu village in remote southern Tanzania. His village now has a school, but he’s faced with the impossible task of teaching 170 children on his own.

“I have to teach the children one grade at a time, while the other children have to go outside and play!”Photo:Andrew McConnell/Panos

Pictures/ActionAid

Two…

Multinational companies to pay all the taxes they owe both here and in poor countries

Poor countries lose more to tax evasion by multinationalsthan they receive in aid.

Many multi nationals siphon their profits out of poor countries (and indeed the UK) into tax havens. The first step to tackle this is greater transparency.

At the moment companies only have to publish one global set of accounts.

We want them to publish a basic set of accounts in every country they work in.

This would make it clear to everyone which companies are paying their fair share, and which are dodging the taxes they owe.

1 staff member = £10m profit. That’s worth investigating…

Both solutions could raise billions for our economy and for poor countries around the world.

Achieving tax justice could see whole countries breaking out of the cycle of poverty …

foreverPhoto: BrianSokol/ActionAid

And

It would help ordinary tax payers

here in the UK too.

The election is going to be really close.

Politicians will be listening to

what you have to say

Make your voice heard.Ask your candidates to put tax justice

on the map!

Photo: Kristian Buus/ ActionAid

This election, ActionAid wants to put tax justice on the map

We want every candidate to support our calls for tax justice

What can you do?

Visit actionaid.org.uk/taxjustice

• Email your candidates• Meet your candidates face to face

– ask them a taxing question• Organise a hustings• Get tax justice in your local media• Spread the word blog, tweet and facebook for tax justice

www.actionaid.org.uk