Ten per cent of all our taxes are spent by the military and, if you withhold or divert tax due, you are likely to incur financial costs, and legal action may be taken against you.
Between 1945 and 1960 when National Service ended, there were 10,000 officially recognised conscientious objectors, but since then, the nature of warfare has changed to one that relies on billions of pounds from millions of taxpayers.
This is financial conscription with no right to refuse.
Conscience (The Peace Tax Campaign) campaigns for the legal right for those who have a conscientious objection to war, either moral or religious, to have the military part of their taxes spent on peace-building initiatives.
It is funded by members' donations and is supported by more than 100 Parliamentarians in the UK. For more information, write to 1b Waterloo Road, London, N19 5NJ.
FREDERICK SUTTON St Mary's Road Oxford
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