A call to conscience

Robin Brookes writes about his personal witness

'...I asked if he knew that I am deliberately withholding my taxes and have been since 2003 on conscientious grounds' | Photo: Frank Charlton / flickr CC

I had been waiting in trepidation for this phone call. It had been a few years since the last one. A reasonable sounding young man from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) debt collection asked if I was aware that I owed £2,800 in income tax. After assuring him that I did, I asked if he knew that I am deliberately withholding my taxes and have been since 2003 on conscientious grounds. I told him I do want to pay all this tax and that I have it ready in a separate bank account, but that I need an assurance, before I hand it over, that none would be spent on the military.

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