Monthly Archives: December 2014

Happy New Year?

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No tax

No Corporation Tax  in the past three years!

With the possibility of a major reduction in Corporation Tax resulting in free hand-outs to big companies here, it’s worth reminding ourselves that Christmas is an all-year round event for some of the most famous high street names.

Starbucks has paid no corporation tax at all in the UK in the past three years.

Boots The Chemist moved its HQ to Switzerland and now avoids taxes of over £100 million per year. Vodafone paid no Corporation Tax at all last year. Cadbury is set to avoid paying over £60million in tax by moving its office address to Switzerland and Johnnie Walker Whiskey manages to pay as little as 2% tax on its profits: cheers!

As we head into a year when public services will be cut, hospital wards closed, jobs lost and  funding slashed in education, training and the arts – it’s good to know we’re all in this together!

See: https://s3.amazonaws.com/38degrees.3cdn.net/3bc9acb0ed3c58f562_nom6ikntj.pdf

Austerity budget offers no hope and no solutions – we must invest in jobs, in services and in people

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We need investment - not cuts!

We need investment – not cuts!

The Workers Party has responded to the public consultation on the draft budget proposals of a number of Executive Departments.

Follow the links below for comments on the Education, Health and Social Care, Employment & Learning and Culture, Arts and Leisure draft budget proposals.

The Party has also commented on the Executive’s overall funding proposals for 2015 – 16 highlighting the longstanding underfunding of public services, the morally repugnant proposals to lower Corporation Tax and the plight of the many people in Northern Ireland who have yet to experience real social and economic benefits from a devolved Assembly.

See the Party’s full statement here:

Workers Party response to the NI Executive’s Budget Proposals 2015-16

Party responses to the public consultation on draft budgets for Health & Social Care, Employments and Learning, Education and Culture, Arts and Leisure

Workers Party response to the DHSSPS Budget Proposals 2015_16

Workers Party response to DEL Budget Proposals 2015_16

Workers Party response to DENI Budget Proposals 2015_16

Workers Party response to DCAL Budget Proposals 2015_16    

Equal society must be defended

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AssemblyAttempts to introduce ‘conscience clauses’ into equality legislation have been condemned by Workers Party representative in the Oldpark area, Chris Bailie.

His comments come in the wake of attempts by DUP MLA Paul Girvan to amend current legislation by introducing an ‘opt out clause’.

See full statement: Equal society must be defended

Supporting Public Services

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Chris Bailie and Gemma Weir supporting public serivces

Chris Bailie and Gemma Weir supporting public serivces

Workers Party representatives Gemma Weir and Chris Bailie braved the cold this week to call with Party members and supporters in the Kansas Avenue / Cedar Avenue area of north Belfast encouraging them to support the ‘People’s NHSni’ campaign.

The People’s NHSni is a community campaign to stop the privatisation of the NHS.

One of the immediate threats to the future of our health service is TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership ), a new EU trade deal with the United States . Under this proposed agreement many health and social care services could be sold off to American companies.

Under the agreement, once sold off those services could not be returned to public ownership- even if there was change of government. In fact the agreement makes provision for American companies to sue the government if it attempts to recover privatised services.

https://twitter.com/peoplesnhsni

Lowering Corporation Tax: a massive economic con trick

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A massive economic con trick

A massive economic con trick

“The lowering of corporation tax will guarantee not one single new job but will assure tax breaks for large firms, accountants and lawyers. This is a massive economic con trick.

Beyond the rhetoric – that is the reality of what is happening today”, says Workers Party General Secretary,John Lowry.

Read the full statement here: Lowering Corporation Tax

See also The Workers Party’s response to the consultation paper ‘Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy’

Workers Party response to ‘Re-balancing the NI Economy’