A papier mache Rachel Reeves has appeared outside the Houses of Parliament just hours before the Chancellor unveils her tax-hiking Budget.
The stunt, which was unveiled by Green Party leader Zack Polanski this morning, also included an effigy of the supposed revenue which would be raised under a so-called wealth tax.
Bundles of sandbags were accompanied by a £24billion sign, with the figure likely coming from estimates of the impact of a two per cent tax on assets worth over £10million.
The effigy of Ms Reeves could be seen looking away from the pile of cash, putting her fingers in her ears while the banner behind read: “Why won’t you just tax their wealth?”
Speaking about the stunt, Mr Polanski said: “I’m having conversations with people all the time, including Labour MPs, about potential defections.
“But ultimately, I think the real thing that matters here is how we serve in communities, rather than shuffling the cards around on the table.
“What I’m really excited about is winning elections, and we’re winning by-elections at a local level week in, week out. And it’s time to start doing that in the next general election too.”
The stunt was organised by youth campaign group Green New Deal Rising, who has called for new measures, such as the “mansion tax” on properties worth more than £2million. That is expected to be included in Ms Reeves’s Budget tomorrow.
A papier mache Rachel Reeves has appeared outside the Houses of Parliament just hours before the Chancellor unveils her tax-hiking Budget
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Green Party leader Zack Polanski also attended the stunt
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They believe that other tax hikes that are expected to be introduced by the Chancellor tomorrow may hit the wealthier, but not the super-rich.
The group are calling specifically for a wealth tax of two per cent on assets of over £10million per year and also to close loopholes which allow polluting companies to avoid tax.
Hannah Martin, co-director of Green New Deal Rising, said: “Billionaire wealth is 10 times higher today than it was in 1990, while living standards for the rest of us have crashed.
“These things are connected. Wealth has been drained out of communities and into the private assets of the super-rich, all enabled by a broken tax system that leaves income from wealth massively undertaxed.
“We need proper wealth taxes with teeth to free up investment which can be used to deliver good green jobs, warm homes and public services.
“Without them, tomorrow’s Budget will be a huge missed opportunity for this unpopular Government that falls well short of what is needed to address the economic pain that is driving the collapse in their support and the rise of Reform.”
The protests come as the Chancellor urged the Labour Party to unite ahead of tomorrow’s Budget.
Amid her accusations of “misogyny”, Ms Reeves told MPs that politics is a “team sport”, in an apparent call for unity.
Rachel Reeves told MPs that politics is a “team sport”, in an apparent call for unity ahead of her Budget tomorrow
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“Because united parties are the ones who win elections”, a Treasury spokesman added.
The Chancellor also described the Budget as a “package” not a “pick ‘n’ mix”, suggesting MPs may “like the cola bottles but not the fruit salad”, and urging MPs to back all of it, rather than single out parts they may dislike or disagree with for criticism.
It is said that Labour backbenchers are likely to be satisfied with up to 95 per cent of the Budget; however, Ms Reeves did hint that there are still difficult political decisions that are yet to be announced.