Tax Bus Blog Thursday: Tax justice for you and me



Scottish Church Leaders in Edinburgh with the Tax Bus yesterday



The Tax Justice Tour continues its journey across Scotland today. Having had stops in Dumfries and Alloway, Glasgow and Edinburgh earlier this week, today it is in St Andrews before travelling on to Inverness tomorrow. 

Yesterday I got a chance to visit the Tax bus as it sat in Bristo Square in Edinburgh.  Now I have to confess that I find understanding finance “challenging!”  When it comes to numbers, I feel a cloud of confusion descending on my brain and a strong urge to bury my head in the sand follows; however, I have come to the conclusion that this issue is too important to ignore.  And I have begun to realise, as I meet and talk with others for whom the penny has dropped, others who have also begun to engage with the issue of tax justice, that perhaps my urge isn’t unique – perhaps big corporations actually count on our ostrich-like inclinations. 

We cannot allow that to be the case anymore – our brothers and sisters who are daily being more marginalised by the extreme profit margins of tax-dodging companies are counting on us to start counting the tax cost. 

As I visited the bus, I was struck by the potential impact of this awareness-raising, education- offering tool! I met dedicated people whose knowledge and commitment to seeking tax justice planted seeds in others who left more informed and more empowered. Hopefully, they will go out and spread the message; hopefully they will be encouraged to believe that their voice can make a difference - write messages to leaders or go on rallies or lobby centres of power. Hopefully they will not go back to the default position of adopting the ostrich position.

If you’ve not been able to get to the Tax Bus or if you’d like more information about tax justice, then Christian Aid Scotland and the Church of Scotland are happy to come to speak to your congregation or a group linked with your church.  Please get in touch by emailing churchandsociety@cofscotland.org.uk  

We’ve also prepared some prayer and worship resources on the theme of poverty and tax which you are welcome to download and use.  October 17th is International Poverty Eradication Day - a great chance to use these resources to engage with this complex issue.