Campaigners have called for a coronavirus levy on the household name tech giants accused of avoiding at least £1.3billion in tax.
The Fair Tax Mark wants a dramatic change in taxation so that international companies help fund the crippling cost of the lockdown in Britain – instead of lowly-paid workers like NHS staff.
The demand come just weeks after five tech giants, including Google, were accused of avoiding tax worth an estimated £1.3billion in the UK last year.
Paul Monaghan, chief executive of Fair Tax Mark, said: “Silicon Valley mega-corporations such as Apple, Facebook and Google should be forced, at last, to make a fair tax contribution to the public services on which they rely, just like the rest of us.
“No public money, be that coronavirus bailouts or public procurement contracts, should go toward businesses that refuse to sign a Fair Tax Lockdown pledge.
“This would entail a binding public commitment from them to shun tax avoidance and tax havens.”
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