Adults

Guatemala has the fifth highest percentage of malnourished children in the world, despite being a middle-income country. Tax dodging by companies means that it has insufficient income to tackle the problem of hunger.

Give £1 if you have ever grumbled about having to pay tax.

That's an interesting thing to contemplate... my immediate reaction was 'no I haven't', indeed I've always been of the view I'd rather pay an extra 1p in the pound income tax if that would safeguard services.  But then I thought a bit harder and I realised that I have (a very long time ago now!) grumbled about VAT being charged on "feminine hygiene" products which are hardly an optional extra.  In recent months I have been shocked and disappointed to hear ministers telling how they pay for accountancy services that enable them to reduce (or even avoid some of) the income tax they pay... "if you do 'X' you can legally offest it against tax..."  Oh dear, I am sounding like kind of pious prig!

On balance, and given my choices earlier in the week, I think I can justify not paying today's 'fine' without it being avoidance, evasion or grumbling!!

My Pledge:

Today - zero

Total - £20.25, three prayers  and a call to 'use your vote and pay your taxes!'