A new report by Oxfam published today (Thu 14 June) highlights the "perfect storm" facing the poorest people in the UK.
...
Read more
Sir Tom Hunter isn't the only person who passes judgement on people he doesn't know. We all do it occasionally.
But Sir Tom is rich and successful.
So people listen when he says the welfare state has created 'pampered, dependent people who expect what others strive and graft hard for'.
But there is a risk here.
If we base policies on assumptions, myths and stereotypes, we can end up harming...
Read more
Alex Salmond calls on David Cameron to "speak up" for the measure
...
Read more
Oxfam has urged the Chancellor to use next week's budget to raise new tax revenues from those who can afford it, not make further cuts from those who can't.
The charity believes George Osborne should introduce more progressive taxation policies to raise new revenues from wealthy individuals and use the proceeds to limit cuts to public services and the welfare system.
The call comes as politicians, policy-makers, commentators...
Read more
Campaigners for a fairer financial system have called on the Scottish Government to support the Robin Hood Tax (RHT) to heap pressure on the UK Coalition to implement it.
It comes after the Royal Bank of Scotland announced that despite making a £2 billion loss last year - it will still pay bonuses totalling £785 million to staff. The bonus payout by the bank - which is 82% taxpayer owned - includes £390 million for the firm's investment...
Read more
Oxfam is demonstrating to the financial industry that investments in developing countries can deliver both social and financial returns.
It comes with the creation of a unique investment opportunity. The Small Enterprise Impact Investment Fund (SEIIF) will be unveiled in Edinburgh this morning (Thursday).
The fund - the first of its kind - will invest in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries and aims...
Read more
Our Prime Minister has kicked off 2012 by announcing a pledge to half the amount of red-tape and calling health and safety laws a 'monster'. This is part of a promise he made last year to wage 'war' on the enemies of enterprise.
Hardly appropriate language, in that he is implicitly equating bureaucrats with other targets of government 'wars' - terrorists and drug dealers.
The reason why this language jars...
Read more
We support proposals for a new Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) and believe Scotland should send a clear and united message in support of the measure.
Branded the Robin Hood Tax by some campaigners, the FTT will not affect retail banking including individuals' savings and mortgages. Instead it will target the speculative trading such as shares, bonds, foreign exchange and derivatives.
The recent economic crisis was triggered...
Read more
More than half of all Scots believe the Government should introduce a new financial transaction tax (FTT) to be spent on fighting poverty at home and abroad, according to a new poll released today [Wednesday] in advance of the European Council (Heads of State) meeting tomorrow [Thursday].
The YouGov survey, commissioned by Oxfam Scotland, reveals that 62 per cent of Scots support the idea of a charge on the transactions between financial...
Read more
Reacting to Alex Salmond's speech on climate change this morning, Oxfam Scotland head Judith Robertson says the Scottish Government should now deliver on its manifesto commitment.
Speaking at the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China, the First Minister spoke of Scotland's particular "moral duty" to support countries in the developing world deal with the effects of climate change.
United Nation...
Read more