Last week, the UK government announced massive cuts in public spending with the poor and the disadvantaged and the environment being hardest hit.

The week before the government had announced a whole new army of investigators to track down benefit claimants who might be fiddling their meagre income, might be doing the odd few hours down the pub cash-in-hand as the only way to make ends meet. As one young mum told me, it was this little extra that paid for clothes and the occasional treat.

And yet at the same time, tax collectors are to be cut.

It does not not need much thought to see who benefits from this, the rich and Big Businesses.

Just one example that has caught public attention, especially after their flagship London store in Oxford Street was closed down in protest, is Vodafone, £6 billion which the government has apparently said they do not have to pay.

We are told we are staring into the abyss, facing bankruptcy, but it is ok for Vodafone to be let off the hook over an unpaid tax bill of £6 billion.

On Wednesday protesters shut down the flag ship Vodafone store in London. On Wednesday protesters shut down all six Vodafone stores in Leeds.

This Saturday (30 October 2010), ie tomorrow, it is planned to shut down every Vodafone store in London, and if possible across the country.

 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114093658655474&num_event_invites=0

This type of protest coordinated by UK Uncut, and similar protests on Climate Chaos by groups like Climate Camp and Climate Rush, is far more effective than French-style protests and political rallies as it is hitting directly the greedy bastards who got us in the state we are currently in.

 http://ukuncut.wordpress.com/
 http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/
 http://www.climaterush.co.uk/

£7 billion cuts in benefits to the poor. £6 billion unpaid tax by Vodafone. We can all do the sums and we do not like the result.

Sign the petition calling for Vodafone to pay their unpaid tax

 http://www.gopetition.com/petition/40035.html

Follow on twitter

 http://twitter.com/ukuncut

Earlier in the year George Osborne the millionaire Chancellor who last week announced the massive cuts was in India promoting Vodafone!

It is not only Vodafone, other big companies are dodging their tax. Barclays has a special secret unit to advise companies and the super rich on how to avoid their taxes. Listen to the excellent BBC Radio 4 File on Four documentary, A Taxing Dilemma.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vhgpl

Also see

Vodafone Direct Action Spreads - Saturday Callout
 http://london.indymedia.org/articles/5828

Johann Hari: Protest works. Just look at the proof
 http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-protest-works-just-look-at-the-proof-2119310.html

Vodafone's tax case leaves a sour taste
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/oct/22/vodafone-tax-case-leaves-sour-taste

Taxman let Vodafone off £6bn bill
 http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=514832&in_page_id=2

Insurrection on Oxford Street
 http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/10/vodafone-police-young-hear


Protestors shut down Vodafone store over 'tax dodging' claims
 http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/845333-protestors-shut-down-vodafone-store-over-tax-dodging-claims

Occupation highlights Vodafone's legal tax dodge
 http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22884

Leeds protesters shut down Vodafone
 http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=22885

Vodafone Oxford St Occupied! We want our £6bn back
 http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/5810