Archbishop of Canterbury wants higher taxes, but not for his Church
SIR – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is calling for more money from taxpayers to be given to the Government, as he believes that too much is being kept by those who earn it, using perfectly legal processes.
If the Archbishop really believes his call, why does he not lead the way by ensuring that the Church of England immediately stops siphoning huge amounts of tax revenue from the Government through its addiction to Gift Aid. Surely, by his standards, this is a form of tax avoidance. Ian Wallace
Whitley Bay, Northumberland
SIR – The Archbishop appears in the media this week as the voice of a commission on economic justice set up by the Institute for Public Policy Research, with proposals for a fairer society.
That the report comes from a Left-wing think tank sets the tone and political direction from the start, but it is surprising that Archbishop Welby, who has considerably more of a business background than most of the shadow Cabinet, should be the mouthpiece for a report with some basic economic flaws.
On Radio 4’s Today he called for businesses selling in the UK to be taxed on their revenue (I think he meant profit) here. Presumably that would need to be reciprocated, so that UK exporters would pay tax to foreign governments based on export sales.
My small business exports to more than 50 countries and we pay corporation tax in the UK, and only the UK. Will the Treasury send the tax it collects from my firm to the countries we export to?
Doubtless the report contains some worthwhile proposals to improve society, but when economic credibility is lost it is time to stop reading. David Johnson
Melbourn, Cambridgeshire
SIR – With declining attendances, the Archbishop should concentrate on ensuring that Church of England parishes are fully staffed and present
a modern, appealing message to their communities, rather than indulging in fanciful macro-economic theories.
I live in one of his parishes, which has been without a rector since February this year and has no prospect of a replacement before 2019. Tim Elliott
West Winterslow, Wiltshire
SIR – The Archbishop, together with most socialists, seems not to understand that increasing taxes often reduces the income received by the Exchequer. The last reductions in both income tax and corporation tax resulted in increased revenue, so he should be calling for tax reductions. John Clark
Southampton
SIR – I am already unhappy about the money I have to pay the Chancellor. I can assure the Archbishop that any tax increase will make me more unhappy, rather than the opposite, as he claims. John Roberts
Wokingham, Berkshire