A leading peace activist is calling on UK taxpayers to stop paying monies to HMRC until the government commits to allocating some of its defence budget to peace.
David Allan, founder of Humanity’s Mutual Reconciliation Coalition, a group dedicated to prioritising peace over profit has issued a call to action to help bring about peace across the world by 2030.
The lifetime peace campaigner says drastic action is now needed and is calling on people to halt paying money to the government; instead, letting HMRC know the money will be released when demands for funding peace are met.
David explains: “To put it simply we are calling for a ‘no peace, no tax’ situation. We urge those who value peace to withhold taxes until the government invests in peace as much as it does in war. Peace isn’t free, it’s time our taxes bought it.”
The call to action comes at a time when the defence spending is surging. The UK plans to spend an additional £70 billion on defence over five years, reaching £87 billion annually by 2030, yet, David says, neglects peace initiatives.
He adds: “We want an office in parliament dedicated to peace initiatives before we release our tax. There is currently no dedicated office or budget for peace, despite public support for diplomacy and the UK’s history with UN peace building.”
The Peace by 2030 movement is asking the government, via a call for tax resistance, to commit at least £1.25 billion annually, which is 10% of the defence budget increase, to a peace initiatives office.
“We need public pressure,” says David. “Organise rallies, petitions and social media campaigns. Our taxes should build peace, not just bombs. Tax payers fund the state and deserve a say.”
David adds: “The legal framing for this is simple – it is civil disobedience. We ask that tax payers notify HMRC via letter, available from us, that they will be redirecting funds to a holding account as a good faith gesture until the demands are met.”
While David does acknowledge that the withholding of tax comes with the risk of fines and potential jail time, he adds that: “mass defiance, e.g. tax rebellion, can overwhelm enforcement.”
“This is about mass mobilisation. We have to take the military approach, the way it is taken to wars. If one million taxpayers withhold £500 each, that’s £500 million to pressure Westminster – paired with marches and other campaigns.”
“This isn’t just a protest, it’s a reckoning: We fund the government – let’s stop paying until they listen: Peace isn’t free, its time our taxes bought it.”
