21st December 2005

This letter was sent as an email to Tony Blair and adapted as a letter for The Citizen. An additional comment has been enclosed below.

 
Dear Tony Blair,

 
At the moment part of the taxes that I pay in the UK is used via the EU to subsidise milk production in this and other European countries.  Much of this subsidised milk is sold, or rather "dumped" in third world countries, undermining their peoples' livelihoods and ultimately perpetuating poverty and the associated misery and loss of life.
 

I am disgusted that money that I have earned is taken from me and used in a way that outrages me.  I have nothing against paying taxes, in fact I would pay more - I would gladly pay more to ease the third world debt or to pay for health in this country and so on. Instead these taxes are being used to the detriment of people poorer than myself.

 
You are in a position to change this situation.  You have been quoted many times saying that poverty is unnecessary and can be eradicated by our own actions, yet my taxes are still being used to abuse people in the aforementioned way.
 

I would like to know what are you going to do about it and when.
 

K Nixon, Gloucester

Additional comment following letter in The Citizen:

 
The EU subsidised milk being dumped in third world countries certainly helps damage economies and perpetuate poverty. However those benefiting are not our own dairy farmers: 40 have been going out of business every week in the UK while the ever more intensive dairy units harm our rural communities, animal welfare and wildlife. As the Green party, FARM and others have campaigned locally supermarkets also must take the blame. They have continued to get away with driving milk prices down so that dairy farmers are earning on average £2.90 per hour. In effect it is our taxes going into the pockets of the supermarkets.

Philip Booth, Press Officer, Stroud District Green Party.