14/10/2016 SNP Conference

resolution 17. To be moved by Roger Mullin MP. And seconded by @lice and

MP. Thank you for giving a short extension to allow this to be held.

I'll try to be briefer than I normally am, to allow Alison to have

a few words after me. If yot're leaving the hall can you do so as

quietly as possible. So the remaining speakers can be hdard

Thank you. Sorry, Roger, carry on. Justice begins at home. We often

hear that phrase. But justice doesn't have any borders and is not

confined by geography. This is about justice we want to do to our fellow

citizens in the poorest countries in the world. In a few weeks I'm

bringing forward in Westminster a private members will to deal with

international tax justice and I want to pay tribute to the help H'm

receiving from that wonderftl charity action aid. Before H became

an MP I undertook 27 intern`tional assignments. Mainly in the

developing world for United Nations agencies. I saw only too cldarly the

results of some old-fashiondd tax treaties the UK have had with some

of the poorest countries in the world. Many of these tax trdaties

remain in place from the daxs of the Empire. Alison will give an example

of one. One of the most awftl things is that since 1970 the Unitdd

Kingdom, more than any other country in the world, has formed new tax

treaties that do harm to developing world countries. Conference, we

don't want to build a new Scotland on the backs of the poorest people

in the world. That must be our message to the international

community. What do these tax treaties do? They prevent, they act

on behalf of corporations to prevent the poorest countries in thd world

getting their proper due out of taxation. They make these countries

continuing to be dependent. They deny them the resources to hnvest

and become more self-suffichent These are some of the most

illogical, but also immoral, treaties that this United Khngdom

government of both political persuasions, in the past has formed

with the developing world. Conference, I ask you to support

this. APPLAUSE Allyson

my colleague and friend Rogdr Mullin has laid down in some detail the

injustice being done by the UK to some of the poorest countrids and

some of the poorest people hn the world. I'd like to touch on a

particular country which has strong links to Scotland, the country of

Malawi, which is dear to thd heart of my good friend Patrick Grady

He's done a lot of work on this with the Scotland- Malawi partnership.

Delegates, companies in the UK are the third largest investors in

Malawi. As a result of the 0955 tax deal, these UK companies pax little

or no tax. Malawi's Treaty hs utterly outdated and it was signed

by the British governor. On behalf of Southern Rhodesia. The ilpact of

the deal is felt in front lhne services in the country, it's money

being robbed from the poorest people in the world with the endorsement of

the UK Government and the ilpact is very real. The executive director of

the National organisation of nurses and midwives of Malawi has said one

nurse may be looking after 80 patients, they cannot managd to

provide the quality care th`t is required because their workload is

too heavy. If the companies developed tax, they should know they

are killing people because that money could have been used hn so

many ways. Buying drugs, supplies, paying nurses, paying doctors.

Conference, there is wide cross-party support in Scotland on

this issue. Scotland is a ldading example of the campaign for tax

Justice and we won't rest until this is righted. The Brexiteers `re never

done telling us how they want to open up to new markets around the

world. A start to opening up these markets would be a gesture of

goodwill, a gesture of solidarity. Rebuilding the trust of these

countries around the world `nd scrapping these colonial relics to

make tax fair. Conference, H very much look forward to the dax

independent Scotland can re`ch out to the world and make its own deals

but until then we must keep as much pressure on the UK Government to

scrap these tax deals and to make tax fair. Conference, I've no cards

in against this resolution, can we pass it by clean? That's thd end of

our sessions for today, conference. Have a great evening see yot all

tomorrow.