Brighton MP urges Prime Minister to bring in Robin Hood tax

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, called for a tax on financial transactions at Prime Minister’s questions yesterday (Wednesday 2 November).

She made her plea having visited the Occupy Brighton protesres in Victoria Gardens in Brighton in the morning. She plans to attend their 7pm general assembly this evening too.

She urged Prime Minister David Cameron to bring in the Robin Hood tax as campaigners staged a protest on the streets of the capital.

Many of the protesters dressed in Robin Hood costumes for the occasion.

On the same day the City of London Corporation said that it was holding off on its threat to evict the tented camp from outside St Paul’s Cathedral.

And as the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams wrote in support of the tax in the Financial Times.

He is supported by many economists as well as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and financial guru George Soros.

Dr Lucas asked Mr Cameron: “Will the Prime Minister listen to both the campaigners outside Parliament today and the 80,000 people who have written to him in recent weeks and commit to becoming a leading advocate for the introduction of a Robin Hood tax at the G20 summit later this week?

“Will he ensure that the revenue is earmarked to tackle sustainable development and the growing climate crisis?”

Mr Cameron replied: “As the honourable lady knows, there is widespread support for the principles behind such a tax but it must be adopted on a global basis.

“Let me say this as quite an important warning to those who are pushing so hard for such a tax: we must be careful that we do not allow other countries, including some European countries, to use a campaign for the tax, which they know is unlikely to be adopted in the short term, as an excuse for getting out of their aid commitments.

“The House (of Commons) and the country can be proud of the fact that we are meeting our aid commitments.

“Do not let others use the tax as a way getting out of things that they promised.”

Later Dr Lucas said on Twitter: “Disappointing answer from PM to my question at #pmqs about #robinhoodtax. He doesn’t seem to get it.”