Press release: UK Uncut continues to pressure Starbucks over impact of government cuts on women
Posted on Fri 7th Dec 2012, 1:09pm07415 063231 | 07572 594128
UK Uncut continues to pressure Starbucks over impact of government cuts on women
Over 44 protests across the UK planned for Starbucks stores this weekend, as public anger increases.
Protestors plan to transform Starbucks into refuges, crèches and homeless shelters in protest against impact of government’s cuts on women.
Public anger continues to grow against Starbucks, despite the coffee company desperately attempting to distract people from their tax dodging. [1] Anti-cuts direct action network UK Uncut report that the number of protests planned for this weekend have increased since the tax announcement released by the cowering corporation. [2]
Women’s groups [3] and local UK Uncut groups from Glasgow to Belfast to Portsmouth will be participating in their biggest national day of action yet on Saturday 8th December, targeting Starbucks coffee stores in protest against the government’s spending cuts that are hurting women. Starbucks and other tax-dodging corporations, including Google and Amazon, face increasing public outrage and stinging criticism from the Public Accounts Committee over recent exposes of their abusive tax practices. [4]
Protestors have chosen to target Starbucks as a result of its tax avoidance- taxes they claim could fund public services currently being cut by the government. Saturday’s action will see Starbucks stores transformed into refuges, crèches and homeless shelters to highlight the disproportionate impact of the government’s spending cuts on women. The action will take place on Saturday 8th December, three days after the Chancellor’s autumn statement when further spending cuts of £3.7bn to welfare were announced. [5]
Sarah Greene, a UK Uncut activist said: “It is an outrage that the government continues to let multinationals like Starbucks dodge millions in tax while cutting vital services like refuges, creches and rape crisis centres. It does not have to be this way. The government could easily bring in billions that could fund vital services by clamping down on tax dodging.”
Responding to Starbucks’ announcement that it will not claim tax deductions in the UK on a range of its tax arrangements, Hannah Pearce, a UK Uncut supporter said:
“Offering to pay some tax if and when it suits you doesn’t stop you being a tax dodger. This is just a desperate attempt by Starbucks to deflect public pressure- hollow promises on press releases don’t fund women’s refuges or child benefits."
“We need the government to force Starbucks and every other tax dodging company to pay their fair share, instead of cutting welfare and tax credits for single mums and disabled women. People are angry, this weekend 44 actions will take place in Starbucks stores in towns and cities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. People will be transforming Starbucks stores into refuges, crèches and other services threatened by the Government’s unjust and unnecessary cuts.”
A spokesperson from Global Women’s strike, one of the women’s groups supporting Saturday’s action said:
“Women – in families, homes, communities and jobs – bear the brunt of austerity. At our Women’s Centre we see more women cut off benefits, losing their jobs, being made homeless and going hungry. Already, 3.5m children live in poverty, 1 in 5 mothers skips a meal to feed her children, and many walk miles to get food handouts because they can’t afford the bus fare. Women are also expected to pick up the pieces as services disappear or turn people away, saying they are overwhelmed. Asylum seekers were the first to be made destitute, and this is now becoming the norm. Victims of rape and domestic violence are particularly affected as more will be forced to stay in violent relationship to keep a roof over their heads.”
Starbucks has come under fire after a Reuters investigation disclosed that the company had paid no UK corporation tax in the last three years, despite reporting sales of £1.2bn. [6] The company was also reported to have filed accounts saying the companies UK operations were making a loss, while reporting strong UK profits to investors.
Campaigners have highlighted research showing that women will experience a disproportionate impact as a result of the government’s public spending cuts. [7] Women are bearing the brunt of cuts to public sector jobs, wages, housing benefit, childcare, and pensions. [8] Additional hardship on women is being caused by the government’s decision to cut £5.6m from violence against women services, £300m from Sure Start centres and a further £10 billion in benefit cuts. Every day 230 women are turned away from refuges as a result of the government’s cuts to women’s services. [9]
Sheena Shah, a UK Uncut activist said “Women have had enough of being attacked by a cabinet of out of touch millionaires. The government’s savage austerity plans are pushing the cause of women’s equality back decades. Welfare, healthcare, Sure Start centres, childcare, rape and domestic abuse services are being cut and female unemployment is rocketing. Benefits cuts are forcing women to choose between heating the house and feeding the family. No one should have to make these choices.”
ENDS
1 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/dec/06/starbucks-to-pay-10m-corporation-tax
2 – UK Uncut is a grassroots anti-cuts direct action network, well-known for targeting corporate tax avoiders: ukuncut.org.uk
3 – Go Feminist, UK Feminista, Southall Black Sisters, Global Women’s Strike – ukfeminista.org.uk www.southallblacksisters.org.uk www.globalwomenstrike.net
4 – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/uk-politics-video/9718420/MPs-demand-action-over-Starbucks-Amazon-and-Google-tax-avoidance.html
5 – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/budget/9725613/Autumn-Statement-2012-Osborne-slashes-3.7bn-from-welfare.html
6 – http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/15/us-britain-starbucks-tax-idUSBRE89E0EX20121015
7 – http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/Gender_Impact_of_the_Cuts.pdf & http://fawcettsociety.org.uk/documents/The%20Impact%20of%20Austerity%20on%20Women%20-%2019th%20March%202012.pdf
8- http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/31/domestic-violence-rape-crisis-cuts_n_2049137.html
9- http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/care/charities-have-to-turn-away-women-seeking-refuge/6520815.article & http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1237
UK Uncut continues to pressure Starbucks over impact of government cuts on women
Over 44 protests across the UK planned for Starbucks stores this weekend, as public anger increases.
Protestors plan to transform Starbucks into refuges, crèches and homeless shelters in protest against impact of government’s cuts on women.
Public anger continues to grow against Starbucks, despite the coffee company desperately attempting to distract people from their tax dodging. [1] Anti-cuts direct action network UK Uncut report that the number of protests planned for this weekend have increased since the tax announcement released by the cowering corporation. [2]
Women’s groups [3] and local UK Uncut groups from Glasgow to Belfast to Portsmouth will be participating in their biggest national day of action yet on Saturday 8th December, targeting Starbucks coffee stores in protest against the government’s spending cuts that are hurting women. Starbucks and other tax-dodging corporations, including Google and Amazon, face increasing public outrage and stinging criticism from the Public Accounts Committee over recent exposes of their abusive tax practices. [4]
Protestors have chosen to target Starbucks as a result of its tax avoidance- taxes they claim could fund public services currently being cut by the government. Saturday’s action will see Starbucks stores transformed into refuges, crèches and homeless shelters to highlight the disproportionate impact of the government’s spending cuts on women. The action will take place on Saturday 8th December, three days after the Chancellor’s autumn statement when further spending cuts of £3.7bn to welfare were announced. [5]
Sarah Greene, a UK Uncut activist said: “It is an outrage that the government continues to let multinationals like Starbucks dodge millions in tax while cutting vital services like refuges, creches and rape crisis centres. It does not have to be this way. The government could easily bring in billions that could fund vital services by clamping down on tax dodging.”
Responding to Starbucks’ announcement that it will not claim tax deductions in the UK on a range of its tax arrangements, Hannah Pearce, a UK Uncut supporter said:
“Offering to pay some tax if and when it suits you doesn’t stop you being a tax dodger. This is just a desperate attempt by Starbucks to deflect public pressure- hollow promises on press releases don’t fund women’s refuges or child benefits."
“We need the government to force Starbucks and every other tax dodging company to pay their fair share, instead of cutting welfare and tax credits for single mums and disabled women. People are angry, this weekend 44 actions will take place in Starbucks stores in towns and cities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. People will be transforming Starbucks stores into refuges, crèches and other services threatened by the Government’s unjust and unnecessary cuts.”
A spokesperson from Global Women’s strike, one of the women’s groups supporting Saturday’s action said:
“Women – in families, homes, communities and jobs – bear the brunt of austerity. At our Women’s Centre we see more women cut off benefits, losing their jobs, being made homeless and going hungry. Already, 3.5m children live in poverty, 1 in 5 mothers skips a meal to feed her children, and many walk miles to get food handouts because they can’t afford the bus fare. Women are also expected to pick up the pieces as services disappear or turn people away, saying they are overwhelmed. Asylum seekers were the first to be made destitute, and this is now becoming the norm. Victims of rape and domestic violence are particularly affected as more will be forced to stay in violent relationship to keep a roof over their heads.”
Starbucks has come under fire after a Reuters investigation disclosed that the company had paid no UK corporation tax in the last three years, despite reporting sales of £1.2bn. [6] The company was also reported to have filed accounts saying the companies UK operations were making a loss, while reporting strong UK profits to investors.
Campaigners have highlighted research showing that women will experience a disproportionate impact as a result of the government’s public spending cuts. [7] Women are bearing the brunt of cuts to public sector jobs, wages, housing benefit, childcare, and pensions. [8] Additional hardship on women is being caused by the government’s decision to cut £5.6m from violence against women services, £300m from Sure Start centres and a further £10 billion in benefit cuts. Every day 230 women are turned away from refuges as a result of the government’s cuts to women’s services. [9]
Sheena Shah, a UK Uncut activist said “Women have had enough of being attacked by a cabinet of out of touch millionaires. The government’s savage austerity plans are pushing the cause of women’s equality back decades. Welfare, healthcare, Sure Start centres, childcare, rape and domestic abuse services are being cut and female unemployment is rocketing. Benefits cuts are forcing women to choose between heating the house and feeding the family. No one should have to make these choices.”
ENDS
1 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/dec/06/starbucks-to-pay-10m-corporation-tax
2 – UK Uncut is a grassroots anti-cuts direct action network, well-known for targeting corporate tax avoiders: ukuncut.org.uk
3 – Go Feminist, UK Feminista, Southall Black Sisters, Global Women’s Strike – ukfeminista.org.uk www.southallblacksisters.org.uk www.globalwomenstrike.net
4 – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/uk-politics-video/9718420/MPs-demand-action-over-Starbucks-Amazon-and-Google-tax-avoidance.html
5 – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/budget/9725613/Autumn-Statement-2012-Osborne-slashes-3.7bn-from-welfare.html
6 – http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/15/us-britain-starbucks-tax-idUSBRE89E0EX20121015
7 – http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/Gender_Impact_of_the_Cuts.pdf & http://fawcettsociety.org.uk/documents/The%20Impact%20of%20Austerity%20on%20Women%20-%2019th%20March%202012.pdf
8- http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/31/domestic-violence-rape-crisis-cuts_n_2049137.html
9- http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/care/charities-have-to-turn-away-women-seeking-refuge/6520815.article & http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1237
Press release: Starbucks' ‘hollow promises’ won’t stop public outrage
Posted on Thu 6th Dec 2012, 1:51pm07415 063231 | 07572 594128
Responding to Starbucks’ announcement today that it will not claim tax deductions in the UK on a range of its tax arrangements, Hannah Pearce, a UK Uncut spokesperson said:
“Offering to pay some tax if and when it suits you doesn’t stop you being a tax dodger. Starbucks have been avoiding tax for over a decade and continue to deny that it paid too little tax in the past. Today’s announcement is just a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure. There’s no money yet, and hollow promises on press releases don’t fund women’s refuges or child benefits."
"We need to keep up the pressure to get the government to force Starbucks and every other tax dodging company to pay their fair share, instead of cutting welfare and tax credits for single mums and disabled women. This weekend 40 actions will take place in Starbucks stores in towns and cities across the country. People will be transforming Starbucks stores into refuges, crèches and other services which the government are cutting with their unjust and unnecessary austerity plans.”
“The £10 million that Starbucks have estimated they may end up paying is £5 million less than that paid by their nearest competitor Costa coffee. The announcement today will also still see Starbucks paying royalty fees to a subsidiary in the Netherlands where the company has a secret low rate tax deal, and buying coffee beans through the well known tax haven of Switzerland, even though coffee grows in the tropics not the Alps.”
Responding to Starbucks’ announcement today that it will not claim tax deductions in the UK on a range of its tax arrangements, Hannah Pearce, a UK Uncut spokesperson said:
“Offering to pay some tax if and when it suits you doesn’t stop you being a tax dodger. Starbucks have been avoiding tax for over a decade and continue to deny that it paid too little tax in the past. Today’s announcement is just a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure. There’s no money yet, and hollow promises on press releases don’t fund women’s refuges or child benefits."
"We need to keep up the pressure to get the government to force Starbucks and every other tax dodging company to pay their fair share, instead of cutting welfare and tax credits for single mums and disabled women. This weekend 40 actions will take place in Starbucks stores in towns and cities across the country. People will be transforming Starbucks stores into refuges, crèches and other services which the government are cutting with their unjust and unnecessary austerity plans.”
“The £10 million that Starbucks have estimated they may end up paying is £5 million less than that paid by their nearest competitor Costa coffee. The announcement today will also still see Starbucks paying royalty fees to a subsidiary in the Netherlands where the company has a secret low rate tax deal, and buying coffee beans through the well known tax haven of Switzerland, even though coffee grows in the tropics not the Alps.”
UK Uncut's Alternative Autumn Statement
Posted on Wed 5th Dec 2012, 12:40pmby Leila Curtis, UK Uncut supporter
An estimated £25 billion is lost annually through tax dodging, showing that this country isn’t running out of money, it’s just that the richest and most powerful individuals and corporations are not paying their fair share. The UK isn’t broke- what is broken is when a political system claims to promote the ‘big society’ while the only things getting bigger and bigger are unemployment, inequality and anger.
Public anger continues to increase as more people become aware of the many tax avoidance schemes of the rich and mighty. The poor paying their taxes, the rich- like Starbucks- none at all, is clearly completely unjust. Yet George Osborne does not have the authority to label tax avoidance as immoral because the government has directly benefited from, encouraged and rewarded those who avoid tax.
While Osborne prepares to damage more people’s lives by making more cuts in his budget statement today- using the deficit as an excuse to cut welfare and punish the poor- we are preparing to fight back with our National Day of Action this Saturday. So far 37 actions are happening all over the UK from Aberdeen to Truro.
This Saturday women, men and children will be transforming local Starbucks into the women’s services we refuse to lose to highlight there are alternatives to these unnecessary and unjust cuts.
The government must now close the loopholes that Starbucks and other companies use to avoid paying billions in tax to the UK, instead of targeting single mums and disabled people through slashing public services, the welfare state and privatising the NHS. We don’t need cosmetic changes, or promises of months of talking – Osborne needs to take urgent action to tackle widespread tax avoidance by some of the biggest companies in the UK.
New research published this week has shown that this government, by itself, could recover up to £5.5bn each year through introducing a General Anti-Avoidance Principle. It could legislate to force companies to show that the things they're doing to try to lower their tax bills do have some basis in the real world, which could be pretty hard if you’re claiming your coffee beans come from Switzerland like Starbucks do.
This is just a start- the UK should act to tackle its own enormous network of tax havens like Jersey and the Cayman Islands, invest massively in jobs at HMRC and push for a proper overhaul of the international tax system, not just tweaking around the edges.
An estimated £25 billion is lost annually through tax dodging, showing that this country isn’t running out of money, it’s just that the richest and most powerful individuals and corporations are not paying their fair share. The UK isn’t broke- what is broken is when a political system claims to promote the ‘big society’ while the only things getting bigger and bigger are unemployment, inequality and anger.
Public anger continues to increase as more people become aware of the many tax avoidance schemes of the rich and mighty. The poor paying their taxes, the rich- like Starbucks- none at all, is clearly completely unjust. Yet George Osborne does not have the authority to label tax avoidance as immoral because the government has directly benefited from, encouraged and rewarded those who avoid tax.
While Osborne prepares to damage more people’s lives by making more cuts in his budget statement today- using the deficit as an excuse to cut welfare and punish the poor- we are preparing to fight back with our National Day of Action this Saturday. So far 37 actions are happening all over the UK from Aberdeen to Truro.
This Saturday women, men and children will be transforming local Starbucks into the women’s services we refuse to lose to highlight there are alternatives to these unnecessary and unjust cuts.
The government must now close the loopholes that Starbucks and other companies use to avoid paying billions in tax to the UK, instead of targeting single mums and disabled people through slashing public services, the welfare state and privatising the NHS. We don’t need cosmetic changes, or promises of months of talking – Osborne needs to take urgent action to tackle widespread tax avoidance by some of the biggest companies in the UK.
New research published this week has shown that this government, by itself, could recover up to £5.5bn each year through introducing a General Anti-Avoidance Principle. It could legislate to force companies to show that the things they're doing to try to lower their tax bills do have some basis in the real world, which could be pretty hard if you’re claiming your coffee beans come from Switzerland like Starbucks do.
This is just a start- the UK should act to tackle its own enormous network of tax havens like Jersey and the Cayman Islands, invest massively in jobs at HMRC and push for a proper overhaul of the international tax system, not just tweaking around the edges.