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Jeremy Corbyn's claim that 'people want to pay more tax to clear debt and fund services' undermined by official figures

Jeremy Corbyn's claims are incorrect, statistics suggest
Jeremy Corbyn's claims are incorrect, statistics suggest

Jeremy Corbyn’s claim that many people want to pay “more tax” to clear the 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”.

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Typically cash which is gifted or bequeathed to the Government is channelled through the Government’s Debt Management Office. 

How much will Labours income tax proposals bring in?
How much will Labours income tax proposals bring in?

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 other 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 to the Government.

John O'Connell, chief executive at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “There have 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 does and are wary of giving any more cash to the government, only to see it wasted.”

Tax rates under Labour
Tax rates under Labour

David Green, a director of the right of centre thinktank Civitas, added: “There is no evidence from any country at any stage of human history that large numbers of people volunteer to pay more than required to their government. 

“Individuals who sincerely want to improve the world donate to carefully-selected good causes. Most people who say they are willing to pay more in taxes expect that other people will be paying the lion's share.”

A HM Revenue and Customs spokesman 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.”