We're Patriotic Millionaires and we want the Chancellor raise our taxes to lift kids of out poverty
A campaign group representing wealthy Britons has argued that increasing taxes on the richest could “lift kids out of poverty” and support the rebuilding of public services.
The organisation, Patriotic Millionaires, believes Chancellor Rachel Reeves could generate up to £36 billion annually by reforming capital gains tax and introducing a new wealth tax. The group made its appeal ahead of Ms Reeves presenting her Budget to Westminster later this month.
Group member Phil White said: “It’s time for the wealthiest – people like us – to pay a fairer share, so we can help lift these kids out of poverty and begin rebuilding our public services and communities right across the UK.”
As Patriotic Millionaires launched a tour to share its message in major UK cities, Mr White added: “We all want to live in a society where everyone has a decent shot at life – but at the moment that just isn’t the case. The gap between the super-rich and everyone else grows by the day.
“In Scotland, around one in five children live in poverty, while the country’s five richest families own a combined £19.3 billion – more wealth than a quarter of the population put together.”
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Over the next week, the group’s branded “Tax The Super-Rich” bus will visit several cities, including Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and London.
Beginning in Edinburgh, Patriotic Millionaires cited figures obtained through freedom of information requests showing that at least 206 public facilities in Scotland have either closed or been transferred to community groups in the past five years.
This includes 53 community centres and 27 parks, the group said, adding that across the UK, one local public service or facility has shut down every three days since 2020 – including children’s centres, swimming pools, libraries, and youth centres.
Speaking on behalf of campaigners Tax Justice Scotland, Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “This data paints a deeply worrying picture that will be all too familiar to communities across Scotland. People are watching their local facilities disappear, with wider public services stretched threadbare too.
“Yet they also know that the wealth of a privileged few across the UK keeps climbing. It’s encouraging to hear millionaires themselves saying, ‘enough is enough’ because they know our tax system simply isn’t fair. Better taxing extreme wealth isn’t radical, it’s responsible, long overdue and the UK Chancellor should get on and do it.”
A Treasury spokesperson said: “The Chancellor has set out the context for the Budget, recognising global and long-term economic challenges. It will continue to build the strong foundations to secure Britain’s future and on the priorities of the British people – cutting waiting lists, cutting national debt and cutting the cost of living.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson commented: “Scotland has the most progressive income tax system in the UK, asking those who can to contribute a little more to protect our vital public services. The Scottish Government has provided councils with a record £15.1 billion this year, a real terms increase of 5.5%.
“The total local government finance settlement increased by almost 50% between 2013-14 and 2025-26. Most local authorities have had to account for the planned hike in employer national insurance contributions and the UK Government is entirely responsible for this.