Corbyn’s claim that people want to ‘pay more tax’ is undermined by official figures

JEREMY CORBYN’S claim that people want to pay “more tax” to clear national debt or fund public services has been undermined by official figures.

Figures disclosed by the Government show that just 15 taxpayers made financial gifts worth less than £200,000 to the Government over the past two years.

The Labour leader said in 2015 that “many well-off people I speak to, in Islington and around the country, would be quite happy to pay more tax to fund better public services or to pay down our debts”. He added that “opinion polls bear this out – better-off people are no less likely to support higher taxes”. Typically cash that is gifted or bequeathed to the Government is channelled through the Government’s Debt Management Office.

The Debt Management Office said that £180,393 in 2016/17 and £14,558 in 2015/16 was made in these voluntary payments. Most of this came from a single bequest of £177,700 in the last financial year. The funds donated or bequeathed by the other 14 people were for relatively trivial sums. Someone gave 1p, another gave 3p and a third person handed over £1.84.

John O’connell, chief executive at the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “There has been no shortage of politicians and high tax campaigners claiming that they want to pay more tax, but these figures show they are unwilling to put their money where their mouths are.

“Most people understand that they spend their money better than the Government and are wary of giving cash to the Government, only to see it wasted.”

A spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs said: “People can make a donation via the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt and the Donations and Bequests Account to reduce the national debt.

“Tax is what is payable under the law; people cannot pay more tax than is legally due.”