NICOLA Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, has accepted a campaign donation of £10,000 from hedge fund boss, George Robinson.

Mr Robinson was caught in a tax avoidance scheme which was closed down by HMRC in 2009.

The then Treasury Secretary told Parliament it was a “highly abusive, completely contrived arrangement” that “was set up with the sole aim of avoiding tax due to the Exchequer.”

The scheme involved millions of pounds. When the matter became public knowledge, in 2012, David Cameron attacked the use of such schemes as “morally wrong.”

Ms Blackwood should not have accepted this money from Mr Robinson. We are finally taking tax abuse seriously.

Those who attempt to cheat the people of this country should be punished, not welcomed by a political party.

More than £100bn a year is estimated to be lost to tax evasion and avoidance in Great Britain.

This money should be used to safeguard our struggling NHS, build housing people can afford, and protect the millions facing fuel and food poverty.

Acceptance of this donation highlights the failure of the three older parties to tackle tax cheating.

The Labour Party and the Coalition each reduced the staffing of HMRC (the tax collection agency) by over 20,000 in their periods of government.

Why have they run down the ability of the government to collect tax?

As an MP I would increase tax collection and work to have tax cheating made illegal so that perpetrators can be dealt with by the courts. In the meantime, the donation should be returned.

LARRY SANDERS

Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate

Oxford West and Abingdon

Bedford Street

Oxford