Roger
Godsiff MP is among a group of MPs, academics and celebrities campaigning for
the investigation of lobbying by the Square Mile. The group sent a letter to
the chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, calling for an
inquiry into the City’s “unfettered and unmonitored” access to senior MPs
through the City of London Corporation.
The
letter calls for an inquiry into the relationship between the City and
politicians, and argues that a lack of openness and accountability enables Big
Finance to exert too much power over the political and legislative process.
Copies
of the letter were also sent to David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg.
Other signatories include two other Labour MPs, Green MP Caroline Lucas, lead
singer of Radiohead Thom Yorke and the actor Dominic West, as well as academics
and charities.
The
letter argues that City UK, which lobbies on behalf of the City of London,
promotes tax avoidance and also has too much access to ministers and civil
servants. Roger said: “Politicians should be accountable to the citizens they
were elected to serve, not to the financial industry which has caused such
damage to the UK’s economy. I am also concerned that the City is linked to tax
avoidance schemes which have an incredibly damaging effect around the world,
particularly on the poorest countries.”
Roger
has previously campaigned for Government action on corporate tax avoidance, and
tabled an Early Day Motion calling for a clampdown on the use of British
Overseas Territories as tax havens. Speaking after signing the letter, Roger
said: “It’s time for politicians to stand up to the City and take action for
tax justice and a fairer distribution of global wealth. A public inquiry is the first step, so that
we can find out the full extent of the City’s influence on UK politics and
legislation.”
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