Press Releases for 2004

PAYING FOR PEACE THROUGH TAXES

22nd January 2004

A local Green Party campaigner is insisting that his tax payment be committed to support peace and conflict prevention rather than military spending. Colin Tingle a Green Party member who lives near Sittingbourne - has divided his tax bill up and sent 2 cheques to the Inland Revenue. One cheque is going to the standard Inland Revenue account, but Colin has made the other cheque (for about 10% of his total tax bill) payable to the Government's Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GPCC)(1). Colin wants this part of his tax spent on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Colin Tingle comments:

"Over the next few days, almost every adult in the UK will make an active contribution to that war in Iraq through the payment of their taxes. Whatever our views, we were all part of the war. We may not have pushed the buttons or pulled the triggers, but if we pay for the military hardware and for thepersonnel who dropped the bombs and shot people, we may as well have been".

His point is that this is what happens automatically by paying our taxes, as about 10% of our taxes in the UK go to the "defence" budget. Instead, Dr. Tingle has asked for the estimated 10% of his tax payment usually spent on the military to be redirected to an existing conflict prevention fund. "I find it impossible to pay out of my own bank account for this war, becauseI feel it caused a great deal of human suffering and gave rise to political and diplomatic rifts that seem to have increased global insecurity. I should like this money directed to working towards conflict prevention and for peaceful approaches to conflict resolution"(2).ENDs c284 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Dr Colin Tingle on 01795 431918 or email: tc09@gn.apc.org. Contact address for this release: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH. Photo available on request to stevedawe - at - gn.apc.org

NOTES:

1. The GCPP is jointly managed by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

2. Colin's action mirrors the "move our money from war to peace" petition, delivered to the Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo MP, on 10 December by Conscience. 10 December 2003 was "Human Rights Day". Conscience is an organisation which campaigns for the legal right for those who have a conscientious objection to war to have the military part of their taxes spent on peacebuilding initiatives. Anyone wanting further information on this issue should contact Conscience on 0870 777 3223 or info@conscienceonline.org.uk or see www.conscienceonline.org.uk

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