Gateshead religious fast over poll tax

by Rita Wall A FRANCISCAN friar and a nun from the Little Sisters of the Assumption have fasted for 24 hours outside Gateshead magistrates' court, as a protest against the community charge.
Standing outside the court while it was in session, hearing cases of those who have not paid their poll tax, Fr Martyn Jeffs and Sr Pat Devlin fasted to demonstrate how many local people are having to go without essentials in order to pay their community charge.
Both religious are exempt from the charge because they are members of orders but they were determined in their public protest to highlight what they see as "the injustice of this tax which takes from the poor to subsidise the rich in our society".
Fr Jeffs and Sr Devlin are members of a national network, Christians Against the Poll Tax, which is opposed to the charge on christian grounds. Fr Tony Battle, also from Gateshead and a member of CAPT, has appeared in the local court for non-payment and has been issued with a liability order. "I do not want to go the prison, so the council must now take their tax from me," said Fr Battle.
"Myself, Martyn and Pat are also committed members of Church Action on Poverty and we took this public stand because of our views,said Fr Battle.
There are over 16,000 people in Gateshead who have been issued with liability orders for non payment. "This procedure, is largely a formality," explained Fr Battle. "But after this stage the council have the right to deduct the charge at source."
Fr Battle expressed his dissapointment that the community charge had now been wiped from the political agenda. "Many families in Gateshead find this a very difficult tax to pay.
"I believe that the community charge is moving us further and further away from the vision of Christ. The poor are suffering as a result of this tax," he said.
Fr Battle said he had support from other religious and clerics, but he would not pressurise anyone to adopt his outspoken public stance.
"Everyone must witness to Christ in their own way," he said.
Hilary Russell, chair of Church Action on Poverty, supported the Gateshead clergy in their protest but stressed that CAP does not advocate nonpayment of the community charge.
"We feel that this is an unjust tax, but non-payment is not the best way for changing the present legislation," Mrs Russell said. "Non-payment is a luxury that many poor people just cannot afford, since it could lead to further dire financial straits piled onto present hard times. We do, however, offer individual support to those who decide not to pay on conscience grounds."