In the UK, actions and calls for a wealth tax intensify

Last week Climate Resistance projected demands for a wealth tax on government buildings and landmarks across London. The words “Tax the super-rich” shone on the Houses of Parliament.

Text and photos: Climate Resistance and Michelle Sanders

Faces of billionaires Roman Abramovich and Jim Ratcliffe also appeared on the walls of the Treasury in Westminster alongside Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos with the call “Tax them out of existence!”

Amidst the recent cuts, campaigners call on the government to introduce a wealth tax in order to fund social services and climate action.

The new Abolish Billionaires campaign asks the government to place a 100% tax on assets over £10 million, end wage theft and worker exploitation, and invest into climate action and public services.

Calls for a wealth tax intensified from within the Labour Party as well as unions and equality campaigners following the government’s decision to cut essential disability benefits and humanitarian aid budgets.

According to YouGov, over half of Brits believe billionaires should not exist and, according to the most recent survey published on 25 March this year, 78% support a wealth tax.

This includes the support of 66% of those with assets over £10 million. The richest 1% are responsible for more emissions than two thirds of the global population.

Following Elon Musk’s attempts to intervene in politics across the world, including the UK government, and the rise of the “billionaire broligarchy” in the US, the influence of the super-rich on policy has increasingly become a subject of scrutiny.

Sam Simons, spokesperson for Climate Resistance, said that “In projecting a call to tax the super-rich onto the Houses of Parliament, we’re aiming to shine light on the absurdity of our rigged economy that protects the wealthiest while squeezing out everyone else.

The richest 1% own more wealth than the bottom 95%, and they create more pollution in a day than any one of us could in a lifetime. The majority of Britain agrees that billionaires should not even exist. And still, when the government comes looking for money, the most vulnerable are sacrificed and climate targets tossed away to protect the interests of oligarchs.

If the budget is incompatible with decent living standards and a liveable planet, it’s time to bin the budget and finally tax billionaires. It’s time to unrig our economy: tax their billions and fund our futures.”