2020 has been tumultuous. Covid has run riot: devastating lives, upending public finances and enabling corruption. The UK is grinding to an uncertain future outside the EU. The US is poised for major change. International tax reforms have stumbled but not fallen.
And the stream of stories about dirty money flows on. Everywhere, tax dodging and illicit finance undermines good government and health, education and opportunity for all.
What does this mean for work on tax justice and fighting corruption?
Working with civil society leaders, and drawing on years of collaboration, the Joffe Trust has prepared a new strategic review. Our analysis is presented in eight sections:
- Illicit finance is still a first order global problem …
- … and the UK is a central player in it.
- Progress has been made over the last year …
- … but fundamental obstacles remain.
- Large companies & their allies actively obstruct public benefit.
- The UK’s national convulsions put us at a crossroads.
- Positive reform is possible …
- … but needs additional planning & support.
The review includes specific recommendations for next steps, as well as strengthening alliances and funding. We will use it to inform our plans for 2021 and beyond. We hope it might be useful for others as well. Download it here.
Please let us know what you think. We’d be glad to hear any comments or ideas about how we could work together.
Photo under license by Sue Langford.