Securing a law to create a peaceful tax option for conscientious objectors to war is the key aim of . We have the support of many MPs already but we need more for a change in the law.
Remember, you are a voter - your views count! MPs take notice of the letters they get - generally taking each one to represent the views of ten or twenty other like-minded constituents.
One of the best ways you can support the right to pay for peace not war is by writing to your MP. They need to know their constituents' views on paying taxes for use by the military.
Fax your MP from here or write and post a letter. Scroll down for ideas on what to say and tips on letter writing.
Don't know who your MP is? All you need is your postcode.
Explain why you personally feel that the present system is wrong, and how you would like to see it changed. Ask your MP to help you in this matter.
About 10% of your taxes are spent by the military. You have no choice about how they spend it.
Paying for somebody else to kill is morally equivalent to doing it yourself. It makes you complicit in the act.
Your human right to freedom of conscience and religion is being infringed.
There is a practical, achieveable alternative to forcing conscientious objectors to pay for the military.
Nonviolent conflict prevention and conflict resolution is more effective and cost-effective than military means. (The MoD admits this!)
Paying the military portion of your taxes to a Non-Military Security Fund, for conflict prevention and resolution would be an acceptable destination for your taxes.
A change in the law would not open the floodgates to other causes demanding not to pay for certain areas of spending. Paying for killing is fundamentally different to objections to expenditure on roads, power stations, schools etc.
Ask your MP to support and ask them to get in touch with is if they want more information.
Back to the top
Write from a personal point of view - say how paying for the military affects you, your friends, family and constituency.
Be polite and stick to the point - write a different letter if you want to complain about the streetlights not working again!
Write only about your feelings on conscientious objection, paying taxes for the military and the positive non-military alternatives - renouncing war completely or cutting military spending in half would both be very welcome but it is not the specific point we are trying to make and might scare your MP off!
If you are not satisfied with a response from your MP, write back - they may not have understood your question or just not answered it. Ask for answers to specific questions or explain why you feel that the points they made were not satisfactory.
Please let us know what replies you get - it helps with our campaign planning.
Check if your MP already supports in who supports us.
If you do not want to use the Fax your MP service post your letter to:
Back to the top
Here is an example of the sort of letter you can write. It is only intended as a source of ideas.
It is best not to copy and paste this text - try to put it into your own words.
Dear Your MP's name,
I am writing to ask you to join those MPs who already support Conscience - The Peace Tax Campaign. Conscience is campaigning to update previous legislation for Conscientious Objectors to give meaningful recognition to their rights today. Legislation is required to enable conscientious objectors to pay tax with a clear conscience by paying for peacebuilding not war.
Conscientious objection to war is widely accepted as a universal human right. The United Nations Human Rights Commission upholds the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion under Article 18 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. Similarly, the European Convention on Human Rights also recognises freedom of conscience as a fundamental right.
In the UK, the legal right to conscientious objection was recognised in both World Wars and during the post-war period of National Service. If conscription into the armed forces were re-introduced in the UK today, it is likely that the provision for Conscientious objectors would be re-introduced as well. However, the nature of warfare has changed. Military preparations now involve developing sophisticated weapons for use by professional armed forces. Conscription is now of taxes rather than people.
I believe that those who hold a conscientious objection to war should not be forced to pay for military preparations through their taxes. This is a violation of their most fundamental beliefs in exactly the same way as actual military service. Conscientious objectors must disobey either their conscience or the law. It is an impossible dilemma.
Conscience - The Peace Tax Campaign is seeking a change in the law to allow conscientious objectors to have the military portion of their taxes spent on non-military security.
These non-military security efforts would be directed at preventing and resolving conflicts. This would help to create the conditions in which international cooperation to resolve social, political, economic and environmental problems would become possible. Such work might include: maintaining and developing human rights and democratic structures in areas of conflict; funding the conversion of industries from military to civil production; and funding overseas development projects in areas of potential conflict. In this way Conscientious objectors could make their contribution to our security in accordance with their deeply held religious or ethical beliefs.
I am convinced that the objective of Conscience is achievable because it is specific, and appeals to a wide spectrum of people who can see the justice of the case.
Conscience is currently supported by 87 MPs and 22 MEPs from all major political parties. Please consider adding your support to theirs. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Your name
Back to the top
These are just some of the typical arguments and responses we receive from MPs who disagree with or misunderstand our proposals for legislation.
- "I do not believe in an opt out for paying tax. You should not be able to pick and choose which taxes you pay"
There is no question of an opt out. Conscientious objectors want to pay their tax - but with a clear conscience. They will not pay less tax under our proposals, just the military part of it will be directed to non-military programmes.
- "Your proposals will open the floodgates to a range of other groups demanding the right not to pay certain taxes"
Our case is based on a recognised human rights. The right to withhold one's physical service to the military and the right to refuse to kill.
Conscientious objection to military service was first recognised by Parliament in 1916 in the Military Conscription Act. Medical practitioners have the right today to refuse to perform abortion procedures if it conflicts with their conscience. The idea that the rights of a minority should not be denied by the 'needs' of the majority has already been established in law and practice. Recognised conscientious objectors in both world wars were allowed some form of 'alternative service' to the military service that conscription required - we are asking for the same with our tax.
- "Paying for the military benefits everyone and makes the whole country safer"
We disagree. The UK's military spending acts to increase our insecurity. The UK's possession of nuclear weapons of mass destruction; our stated willingness to use them; our role as the second largest arms trading, subsidised by taxpayers' money, is a threat to the security of the world. Conflict prevention is cheaper, more effective and does not promote resentment in the same way as a military stance.
- "We need more military spending not less"
Obviously we disagree, but you have missed the point of our campaign. Although reduced military spending would be welcomed our aim is specifically to enable conscientious objectors not to pay for war. Government would still be able to set military spending at the level it wished - but not use CO's money for it.
- "It will be too complicated to allow for conscientious objection in the tax system"
Considering the complexities of the tax system, and schemes such as Gift Aid to facilitate charitable giving, our proposals would not prove too taxing for Inland Revenue officials. A red herring.
- "Government will not be able to plan it's spending properly"
With a list of registered conscientious objectors the Government would be able to easily calculate how much money they have available for all of their spending plans. If conscientious objectors were able to register their objection to paying tax for war with Inland Revenue via their Tax Return the Government would know how many COs there are, how much tax they are paying, and how much of that tax would usually be destined for military purposes. A red herring.
- "You should use the ballot box to try to change policies"
This is not a party political issue, it is a question of conscience. Parliament has long had a tradition of allowing MPs to have a free vote (i.e. MPs are not asked to follow the party line) on issues of conscience such as the death penalty and abortion. is supported by parliamentarians from across the political spectrum. Several 10-minute-rule Bills have been proposed in the House of Commons but, so far, each has fallen after the first reading.
Back to the top
It's also useful to write to your MEP (European Parliament), MSP (Scottish Parliament), and AM (Welsh Assembly). Explain that you understand that they have little influence over UK tax legislation or defence expenditure, but that the support of an elected representative is always valuable to us, and that you would like to know their views.
There is no central address for MEPs, but you can usually find out your MEP's address at your local library or at www.europarl.org.uk
