Did you see this week’s Dispatches on Channel 4? It revealed that Prince Charles, our future king, is dodging taxes on his 800-million pound business empire.
Prince Charles should be setting an example to the whole country, not cheating ordinary taxpayers out of millions. At a time when major companies are cheating the British public, we need the Royal Family to set the standard for good citizenship -- and that means not stiffing the Treasury at a time when all of Britain is feeling the pain.
The Royal Family is acutely aware of how they are perceived by the public and will be watching for any reaction to this latest news. If the Royal Family thinks this is a storm in a teacup they won’t act. So we need to pressure them into changing but we need to act quickly.
Tell Prince Charles to do the honourable thing and pay his fair share of tax.
The programme revealed that his business empire is exempt from paying normal business taxes simply because he is the Prince of Wales. This isn’t some gentle perk left over from a bygone age. This means Prince Charles avoids paying business taxes on his property developments, his vast commercial farms and industrial parks, denying taxpayers millions of pounds.
Prince Charles has done amazing work through the Prince’s Trust, helping many young people into work. It’s a shame that his reputation is being damaged by unjust and immoral tax-dodging. The young people his trust helps don’t get to avoid their taxes and neither should our future king.
People power has shifted the Royal Family on tax in the past. We saw after a similar outcry over the Queen’s tax affairs that she voluntarily started paying income tax. After the Dispatches programme we have a chance to get Prince Charles to pay his taxes -- but only if we act now.
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More Information:
Prince Charles under pressure over tax affairs, 30 June 2013, Daily Mirror
Prince Charles aide to be quizzed by MPs over tax affairs, 28 June 2013, The Guardian