TOP TEN TAX SHIRKER TOUR

“All the UK’s major banks make extensive use of tax havens in the course of their business. As a survey for the TUC showed, in 2008 Barclays were the biggest user but all four of our leading High Street banks had large numbers of subsidiaries in locations such as Cayman, Jersey, The Isle of Man, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Luxembourg.

One bank stands out from the crowd though. As MP Chuka Umunna showed in questioning of Barclay’s boss Bob Diamond before the Treasury Committee of the House of Commons in January 2011, his bank had 181 subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands alone in 2010, an extraordinary increase from 143 in 2008.

Bob Diamond admitted he had no idea how many companies the bank of which he is chief executive had in the island, but said they were there for ‘tax efficiency’.

In plain, straightforward terms that means they shift the tax burden from the bank onto other people.

As this is Barclays who also are proud of proping up the arms trade this call out also goes out to all the anti-militarists and ant-Trident groups et al.

Bring tanks!”

 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146035495453992&index=1

Then just up the road the protesters will be heading up to Chapelfield Gardens bandstand for 2pm for

A LAMENT AGAINST THE CUTS

‘It is with great sadness that we at the Cutting Room and Soapbox Promotions present this special event, a Lament Against the Cuts, to take place at 2pm, by the bandstand in Chapelfield Gardens.

We live in times where bankers are receiving ridiculous bonuses despite ruining the economy, and cheap, corrupt politicians make promises they have no intention of keeping.

These are dark times, and we would protest if we thought that our protestations would ever be paid anything more than lip service by those in power. But sadly, it becomes ever more clear that protest will make no difference, because those in power are having far too much fun at our expense. Indeed, it is perfectly possible that the notion of poor people suffering is the only thing which enables George Osborne to maintain an erection.

What is left for us to do but lament?

The cuts must happen, the previous government saw to that, and now we have people in power who really relish the thought of saving small amounts of money by cutting front line services rather than cutting spending on wars or properly running the banks we were forced to bail out so many times because of the stupid and bad things they had done with our money.

So, if the current state of the world is getting you down, why not join us for a fucking good cry about it?

The Lament will be a truly touching spectacle and will feature:

- Help with your Depression
- A Demonstration by the Norwich Division of the National Self Harm Fellowship
- Representatives from the Depressed Satirists Society
- An Open Mic Lament, where you can vent some of your frustration
- Professional Mourners
- Weeping Children (with any luck)

If you know any maudlin protest songs, or sad poems, please join us, and help make the day truly cheerless.

Dress Code: Funeral

Please feel free to bring signs representing yourself, your work or union, or indeed whatever issue is making you most miserable. Placards are respectfully requested to be in the form of floral tribute only.

There will be a wake held at Over De Flames from 9pm, featuring music and dancing, so we can put these terrible events behind us, and hopefully get on with picking up the pieces of what is left of our lives.’

 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182644911774357&index=1

 http://norfolknonaligned.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/saturday-actions/