UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

The Pinstriped Trousered Philanthropists

Polly Toynbee in the Guardian rightly exposes the hypocrisy of those such as Lord Fink, the Conservative Party treasurer, who claims that the recent Budget's 25% cap on tax relief for charitable donations by the super rich will "put people off giving":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/16/charitable-giving-tax

If the super rich are going to give less to charities as a result of proposed taxation changes, surely it is proof positive that they are more concerned with their pockets than the causes. And there is no comparable hue and cry from this quarter as their Conservative led Government's austerity measures lead to charities losing an estimated £2.8bn in public funding between 2011 and 2016, according to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations:
http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/Finance/article/1083871/public-funding-charities-fall-28bn-next-five-years-ncvo-warns/