Shadow chancellor warns large corporations ‘will pay their way’
SHADOW CHANCELLOR John McDonnell was hailed a “working-class hero” before promising a Labour government would transform society by ending austerity and tax avoidance by the rich and big business.
Mr McDonnell, speaking at the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) conference, told delegates “neo-liberalism” policies of cutting tax to “trickle down” wealth to the rest of society had not worked.
He said it had resulted in the “absolute scandal” of millions using food banks, homelessness trebling and wages falling, coupled with “industrial-scale” tax evasion.
Mr McDonnell called it a “disgrace” that nurses were leaving their jobs to earn more by stacking shelves in supermarkets.
He added: “It doesn’t have to be like this. We can change the world if we work together.
“On June the 8th there’s an absolutely critical decision to be made. We believe there’s an alternative.
“And we believe that alternative is a popular one, once we get our ideas to cut through the media bias.”
He was introduced to delegates at the conference in Blackpool by Alan McLean, president of the FBU, who called the shadow chancellor a “true working-class hero”. Mr McDonnell promised corporations and the rich would “pay their way” under Labour and said estimates of the “tax gap” of lost revenue by tax evasion was between £34 billion and £120 billion.
He said: “This is about seizing the moment. Carpe diem. Seize the moment.”