Government plan will ‘deepen inequality and worsen climate crisis’.
‘With its focus on tax cuts, the government has missed the opportunity to use progressive taxation measures to build a greener and fairer society.'
Government plans will not tackle the cost-of-living and climate crises, Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) has said, joining a sea of voices criticising the UK’s economic policies.
Writing on the Quakers in Britain website, BYM said: ‘When Liz Truss became prime minister earlier this month, Quakers in Britain asked her to prioritise the interlinked cost-of-living and climate crises.
‘Over the past few days, the government has announced a swathe of measures that we fear will deepen inequality and worsen the climate crisis.
‘With its focus on tax cuts, the government has missed the opportunity to use progressive taxation measures to build a greener and fairer society.
‘Measures such as corporation tax cuts, investment zones and lifting the cap on bankers’ bonuses will benefit those who already have the most, but will do little to help the financially poorest in society.’
While assisting with energy bills will begin to alleviate some people’s immediate cost-of-living concerns, BYM said, ‘the government has failed to tackle the underlying causes’.
The statement also slams the government’s decision to: lift the ban on fracking; support of new oil and gas projects; and proposed deregulation. All this ‘will worsen the climate crisis and ultimately cause great harm to people and nature’.
It ends: ‘We urge the government to focus on a just transition to a zero-carbon economy that will benefit everyone in society.’
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