Keith Dalgleish (Scottish Natural Heritage) highlighted confusion over whether this was already union policy.

The motion said companies who avoided paying UK corporation tax hit the taxpayer twice over: by the loss of tax receipts for the government and by undercutting companies who do pay the tax. It could also have an impact on government contracts and other public sector business.

Tasos Zodiates, speaking on behalf of the executive, asked delegates to remit the motion. He said:

• campaigning within the TUC would be a better vehicle for addressing the issues raised
• the motion was unclear about who to target, boycott or picket. He also pointed out that Prospect members work for some of these companies
• big corporations don’t pay tax because legislation allows them to do so.

He said it would be better to campaign for government to change the legislation to force those companies to pay their taxes.

Ged Kerins (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) said it would send a poor message if conference remitted the motion.

Martin MacIntyre (Association of Guernsey Civil Servants) said he believed in the ethos behind the motion, but found the wording problematic.

Ian Varnes (BT mid-Yorkshire) was worried about the way the motion was written and the fact that Prospect has members in some of these companies.

He said Prospect could not achieve this on its own. “It’s a legislative issue and the government needs to close the loopholes.”

Delegates agreed and remitted the motion.