Campaigners call for the removal of ‘Bad Chancellor Philip’ at Runnymede for ripping up the Magna Carta and the UK rule of law!
Media Interviews and Photo Opportunity:
Location: Magna Carta Monument – Runnymede – Windsor
Time: 16:00 hours, Saturday 15th June 2019 (location TW20 9LU)
Earlier protest locations are available to media at:
- 12:00 on Weybridge High Street (adjacent to Lloyds Bank / KT13 8DA)
- Circa 14:30 in Egham, Church Road (by Waitrose TW20 9HZ)
Media Contact: Mark Sebright – [email protected] / 07988 680746
This Saturday, 15th June 2019, campaigners opposed to the Loan Charge will gather at the historic Magna Carta monument in Runnymede, located in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s constituency. The protest is calling for the dismissal of ‘Bad Chancellor Philip’ by the next Prime Minister on the grounds of his support for the draconian Loan Charge tax which rips up the very rights enshrined in the Magna Carta and undermines the UK rule of law.
Under the banner “Philip Hammond has ripped up our UK rule of law. SACK HIM!”, the protest coincides with the 804th anniversary of the ‘The Great Charter of Liberties’, the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was brought in when the Barons demanded rights from ‘Bad King John’. It established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the King and laid down the rights of individuals, the right to justice, the right to a fair trial and that people should not be subject to excessive or unfair taxes.
The protest is being organised by the Loan Charge Action Group (LCAG) but is also appealing to all who believe in our rule of law and democracy, with the Chancellor ripping up one of the most important documents in history by pursuing people retrospectively for life-changing bills without any due process or the right to challenge them by appeal.
The Loan Charge will bankrupt tens of thousands of UK workers and has already been linked to several suicides following HMRC’s aggressive bullying tactics.
Shamefully, both Philip Hammond and his previous deputy, Mel Stride, have made untrue statements regarding the Loan Charge and a group of MPs and peers have exposed a sinister campaign of misinformation that has sought to justify the policy. The Loan Charge Inquiry, undertaken by the Loan Charge All Party Parliamentary Group concluded: “There has been a systematic campaign of misinformation by HMRC and the Treasury over the loan charge. This is a blatant attempt to airbrush the reality of what is a deeply questionable policy and also cover up the likely impact of the loan charge on individuals…this is deeply worrying for a public body and government department”.
The controversial Loan Charge came in in the Finance Bill, which was given Royal Assent in November 2017, after scant parliamentary scrutiny and a deeply flawed impact assessment. The Loan Charge allows HMRC to go back as far as 1999 for arrangements that were legal, were declared to HMRC and where HMRC otherwise has no legal right to collect more tax.
People affected are now being hit with life-changing tax demands from HMRC and are being coerced to sign settlement agreements with no right of appeal under threat of even higher Loan Charge bills. Settlement requires those impacted to sign away all rights to reclaim the money if the Loan Charge is later declared illegal by a court.
The tens of thousands affected include nurses, doctors, supply teachers, social workers as well as IT and energy contractors. Some of the affected people were even contracted to HMRC and to other Government departments. This means that the Government is, by their own measure, complicit in the schemes they now deem unacceptable and retrospectively taxable.
Steve Packham, LCAG spokesperson, said:
“The Loan Charge undermines the rule of law and rips up the basic rights that were first laid down in the Magna Carta. How ironic that the person doing this is the current MP for Runnymede and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond.
“The House of Commons voted for a delay and review of the legislation and The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee have also loudly condemned it. Despite this, ‘Bad Chancellor Philip’, is arrogantly ignoring the will of Parliament and with his henchmen at HMRC, they are ruthlessly pursuing people to the point of ruin and despair.
“We call upon all Parliamentarians and citizens to reject this attempt to rip up the Magna Carta and override 804 years of history. This awful, arrogant Chancellor needs to be brought to book, like Bad King John. So it’s time that Bad Chancellor Philip Hammond was sacked and the draconian Loan Charge consigned to history”.
Protest details
The LCAG protest on 15th June commences at 12.00 on Weybridge High Street (adjacent to Lloyds Bank / KT13 8DA) before moving on to Egham, Church Road by Waitrose (TW20 9HZ) and arriving at 16.00 Magna Carta monument, Runnymede (TW20 9LU)
Media are invited to cover the protest at any stage on the day. Representatives of the Loan Charge Action Group and contract workers facing life-changing retrospective tax bills will be available for interview. Please contact Mark Sebright – [email protected] / 07988 680746
Notes to Editor
- The Loan Charge Action Group (LCAG) is a volunteer run group of people facing the Loan Charge. LCAG seeks campaign to change the Loan Charge and also provided a community where individuals can find information and support. The Group does not provide any form of chargeable service or professional advice. See hmrcloancharge.info
- The All Party Parliamentary Loan Charge Group (Loan Charge APPG) was formed in January 2019 and now has 152 members from across both Houses.
- The Loan Charge Inquiry report published 2nd April 2019 exposes the dangerous reality of the Loan Charge, with its impact on people’s mental health. The MPs/Peers have called for a delay and review, given that there are lives at risk http://www.loanchargeappg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Loan-Charge-Inquiry-Report-April-2019-FINAL.pdf.
The report calls for:
- An urgent 6-month delay and suspension of the Loan Charge and all associated settlements
- An independent Review into the Loan Charge led by an experienced tax judge
- There is an Open Letter to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General, Jesse Norman, which has been signed by 186 MP’s and Peers calling for an immediate suspension of the Loan Charge and settlements, and for an independent review.
The open letter and signatures are available to view here – http://www.loanchargeappg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Open-letter-to-Jesse-Norman-MP-on-the-Loan-Charge-30-May-2019.pdf