Tax dodging hurts us all

The Tax Justice Bus Tour launched last week at Greenbelt 2012, to inform people across Britain and Ireland why tax justice is so vital for the world's poorest people. The Tax Justice Tour sees Christian Aid join forces with UK poverty campaigners Church Action on Poverty and head out on the road across Britain and Ireland to bring people together in a bid to end the injustice of tax dodging at home and abroad.

Since the bus set off, hundreds of visitors have called on David Cameron to end financial secrecy, so that tax dodgers have nowhere to hide. Tax dodging hurts us all, especially when global companies and large sums of money are involved. It robs countries of the taxes they're owed – money that could be spent on essential services.

Christian Aid can show that in poor countries tax dodging results in a lack of clean water, sanitation, roads, schools and hospitals; and in people going hungry. Their tax justice campaign has highlighted how developing countries lose $160bn every year - one-and-a-half-times what they receive in international aid. Church Action on Poverty can show that in the UK tax dodging contributes to cuts in benefits for families, children and disabled people, reduced care for the elderly, less childcare and fewer libraries, youth services and other vital community facilities.

Financial secrecy is at the heart of these problems – especially the secrecy offered by tax havens. Thanks to loopholes in the global financial system, money that could provide vital services like schools and hospitals, is being pocketed by unscrupulous companies. The prime minister, David Cameron, has called for a fairer, better-governed world economy. Tell him that tax justice is the answer. Join us by sending an email to David Cameron today.

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Bruce Cockburn - Call It Democracy.