[OccupyComms] This Saturday - time to tackle the City of London, ‘Tax Haven Capital of the World’

[Ronan McNern]

*Hi folks,*
* *
*Wanted to alert you to some good stuff happening in London at the moment
looking at the issue of tax havens.*

   - *Event tomorrow - 2pm in the City of London - *
   https://www.facebook.com/events/150406711789167/?fref=ts /
   https://www.therules.org/en/actions/london-tax-haven
   - Sign the open statement (almost 20K have so far) b-
   https://www.therules.org/en/actions/stop-stealing-our-wealth
   - *Check out the viral video at *
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eocWcI72Wbs&feature=youtu.be

*Do help spread the word!*
*
*
*Cheers,*
*Ro*
*
*
*Hello!*
*
It’s time to tackle the ‘Tax Haven Capital of the World’
This week phone boxes across London will be looking a little different.
What may look like tourist posters are in fact a message from citizens
around the world about the real causes of global poverty and what we can do
to make a real difference. It’s time to take another look at that urban
island paradise and get to know it better:  "Visit the City of London - The
Tax Haven Capital of the World". *
 *
*
*Every year multinational corporations and corrupt politicians siphon off
around $1.26 trillion of the world's wealth, using elaborate schemes to
transfer profits to countries with little or no tax. The majority of this
wealth is stolen from some of the world's poorest countries. This means
they lose at least  $100 billion every year in tax revenues; money that
should be paying for essential services like schools, hospitals and roads. The
City of London, a square mile within London itself, is the most important
global hub of the tax haven system, through which billions in untaxed
profits flow every day.** *

*

*
*How does the City of London get away with this?
It’s complicated, but here’s part of the answer: the local council has a
private fund worth about $2 billion, which is used to influence politicians
here and abroad. It’s impossible for us to know where the $2 billion comes
from and what it’s spent on, as key parts of the City of London Corporation
are exempt from Freedom of Information laws.

Cameron has some high profile international seats of power right now,
including being Chair of the G8. So it's pretty embarrassing to him that he's
pledging to tackle tax avoidance by corporations in developing countries
and the UK, while at the same time keeping the City of London's secrets.

That's why we need to spread public outcry among UK citizens, to whom he’s
ultimately accountable. People around the world are already making the
calls, but they need our voices behind them to show that this is a global
problem and that the world is watching.

How can you get involved?

   - In London? - Join us in the City of London on March 16th for our day
   of action to expose the hidden London and call on David Cameron to clean
   up his own backyard. We'll have international guest speakers, music and
   much more. Be at the Royal Exchange at 2pm, just by Bank tube. Online
   RSVP: https://www.therules.org/en/actions/london-tax-haven; facebook
   event: https://www.facebook.com/events/150406711789167/



   - Around the world? - We’re coming together from around the world to
   sign an open statement, which will be published in a major UK newspaper: Add
   your name to the open statement before it's
published.<http://email.therules.org/wf/click?upn=yj-2FSkiQCdSqhqrcsrdDefsX789Tz5uTj86s2zpIXmF8xTAL4gUS7gPdqndnlfz6Nvfr0WkNq836H0y7Vdplx5J2934YDbyldZsYRHRta1bENxTplHIwLU4nTMD0gfBSBjrMNb5ClIrMzkJfsSllqGp0ckgznzDzuCm-2B1ubdiiVKEgQtg0P45ol1sTZWsnclZ_dP-2FuRlEevMmcVFPqVKUWUlhTTyJB-2BhDIIzr7ezvO732o202GVmzsM7CKtoO8N-2BDj4KxQWmE8eFeXFMrHQU0mWSffA4V-2BRaDk80NEWa0LNp7jeoFQ2zcUsip-2BOCtftS2TH4oo33yTTpaIIYpv1OY8CTJJeBjUdnjsJ-2FJ2MIKnO4uDiOehfK4TZj4GFHqFn23n9r-2BN5e53lDf36nmiszQNLhxzrhCRGCF53Z6J0sk2QuzCEcbwtpc4i-2FseNU-2BVkHQON8ER5e7OwXqF7Gm81m4-2BwpcZP-2B0JU63kyhVC7cT-2FLXU-3D>If
you don’t have internet access, dial this phone number (+44 (20)
   332-22485 / 020 3322 2485 in UK) and place a missed call - you’ll have
   registered your support without it costing you a penny.


We're on our way to striking at the heart of the financial corruption that
causes poverty and inequality worldwide. Let's use our collective voice to
make sure we're changing the rules that allow this system to exist. Please
forward this email on to people to help us make this massive. More
information at  http://londontaxhaven.org; follow the hashtag
<http://piratepad.net/ep/search?query=hiddenlondon>
#hiddenlondon <https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?hl=en#> on twitter for
latest developments.

With hope,
/The Rules team

Sources:
$1.26 trillion of the world’s wealth - see Illicit Financial Flows from
Developing Countries: 2000-2009, Global Financial Integrity. January 2011.|
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