I should have blogged this sooner.

TUC Congress passed the following resolution last week:

26 Tax justice

Congress welcomes the publication of the TUC pamphlet The Missing Billions, which reveals that many companies and wealthy individuals are manipulating the tax system to avoid paying £25bn in tax each year.

Congress believes this undermines the development of a more equal society, both in the UK and globally, supported by properly resourced public services.

Congress agrees that the capacity of government to collect the taxes needed to fund our public services is being eroded by arbitrary staffing cuts and office closures across Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Congress condemns the Government for presiding over a tax system that enables many rich individuals and multinational companies to avoid paying their fair share while poverty and inequality increases.

Congress instructs the General Council to:

i) develop a campaign strategy to publicise and implement those measures outlined in the pamphlet which will contribute to closing the tax gap, including supporting a public meeting that will take place at the House of Commons later this year;

ii) make clear in campaigning that a fair and effective taxation system requires adequate staffing and resources and that this is being undermined by the Government's current cuts programme in HMRC, and to give full support to those unions campaigning against the cuts in HMRC; and

iii) support action to make multinational companies pay in full the taxes they owe on profits made around the world - including consideration of new taxes on foreign currency dealings to raise additional money for development, since 'global problems require public solutions'.

Excellent news!