Anti-Poll Tax Unions
Encyclopedia
Anti-Poll Tax Unions were set up in local areas throughout Scotland
, England
and Wales
to organise against the Community Charge
("poll tax
") brought in by Margaret Thatcher
's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales).
The first anti-poll tax union was established in Maryhill, Glasgow, April 1987.
The Militant tendency
set up a national All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation
("the Fed") to co-ordinate the activities of the local unions.
The Anti-Poll Tax Unions played a major part in the legal actions in which around 20 million people were summoned for non-payment of the tax. Those jailed included Terry Fields
, MP for Broadgreen.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to organise against the Community Charge
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
("poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
") brought in by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales).
The first anti-poll tax union was established in Maryhill, Glasgow, April 1987.
The Militant tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
set up a national All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation
All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation
The All Britain Anti Poll Tax Federation was an organisation in Great Britain to co-ordinate the activities of local Anti-Poll Tax Unions campaigning against the Community Charge brought in by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 and 1990 .The BBC technicians' union, Broadcasting...
("the Fed") to co-ordinate the activities of the local unions.
The Anti-Poll Tax Unions played a major part in the legal actions in which around 20 million people were summoned for non-payment of the tax. Those jailed included Terry Fields
Terry Fields
Terence Fields was a British trades unionist and Labour Member of Parliament for Liverpool Broadgreen. He was a supporter of the Militant tendency.-Early life:...
, MP for Broadgreen.