Thom Yorke asks: 'Who does our government work for?'

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/feb/11/thom-yorke-asks-who-does-our-government-work-for

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In a damning statement which will come as a surprise to approximately no one, Thom Yorke has condemned the government for its “staggering hypocrisy,” with regards to the financial industry.

His comments were made as a new documentary co-scored by Yorke, The UK Gold, is released – it is an investigation into the UK’s role in tax avoidance schemes.

Related: The UK Gold – first look review

“For all the current government’s talk of standards in the financial industry it comes as no surprise perhaps that the reality beneath reveals their staggering hypocrisy,” Yorke told the NME.

He adds: “Now is the time to reveal the revolving doors between government and the City that has bred lies and corruption for so long, siphoning money through our tax havens for the global super rich, while now preaching that we the people must pay our taxes and suffer austerity. Just who does our government work for?”

Yorke is no stranger to voicing his concerns on this subject. In a piece he penned for the Guardian in 2003, he described his fears regarding globalisation and climate change and the power of the west: “Increasingly the effects of such globalisation make it clear the only ones benefiting are the multinational corporations, who have the ear of our governments and are having their free-trade cake and eating it.”

“Poor countries are told this is free trade – this is the way we succeeded, this is how we built our great capitalist system. Even the World Bank now admits that a nation’s economy needs protection for it to grow in its early stages of development, just as it did in the UK, US and Asia. The constant mantra of the ‘trickle-down’ effect of wealth creation is comical.”

Scored by Yorke and Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja and featuring contributions from Guy Garvey, Rose Elinor Dougall, Anthony Rossomando and actor Dominic West, the documentary will air on London Live TV on 25 February.