Anti-Poll Tax Unions

Anti-Poll Tax Unions (APTUs) were set up in local areas throughout Scotland,[1] England and Wales to organise against the poll tax (officially the "Community Charge") brought in by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales).[2]

The first anti-poll tax union was established in Maryhill, Glasgow, April 1987.[3]

An All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation ("the Fed") was set up 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.[4][5] Those jailed included Terry Fields, MP for Liverpool Broadgreen.

References

  1. ^ The day 250,000 warrants were issued over Glasgow’s refusal to pay poll tax, Glasgow Live, 15 January 2019
  2. ^ Gross, David M. (2014). 99 Tactics of Successful Tax Resistance Campaigns. Picket Line Press. p. 33. ISBN 978-1490572741.
  3. ^ Protests, law and order in the twentieth century page 145
  4. ^ "The Poll Tax: The battle that brought down Thatcher".
  5. ^ Gross, David M. (2014). 99 Tactics of Successful Tax Resistance Campaigns. Picket Line Press. pp. 77–78. ISBN 978-1490572741.


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