Special Report
By Nadia Houston
30 Years On: Poll Tax Riots Revisited Thirty years ago, in March 1990, the ‘poll tax riots’ marked the beginning of the end of Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister. The premise behind the ‘Community Charge’, otherwise known as poll tax, was that it was a flat fee regardless of income. Each person paid a fixed amount set by their local authority, with the idea being that it would replace previously used domestic rates which were levied according to a property’s value. However, this unfairly penalised those worse off in society and very obviously benefited wealthier property owners. The Community Charge was defended on the principle of marginality: that all voters should have to cover the costs of additional council spending, and that those who benefitted from this expenditure should also pay their fair contribution. Despite protest, some from MPs themselves, the poll tax was introduced in Scotland in 1989 and was announced to come into effect in England and Wales in April 1990. This was a deeply unpopular policy which resulted in riots and protests breaking out across the UK. The largest demonstration was attended by 200,000 people who came together on 31st March 1990 in central London. Although mainstream media and politicians condemned these activities, there was widespread support from the public for the protestors. Beginning in Kennington Park, thousands of people headed for Trafalgar Square where they were met with police who tried to prevent them from reaching Downing Street. Mounted riot police were also brought in to clear the protesters from Whitehall, resulting in the majority of the group becoming completely stationary around the area. According to reports, officers then advanced at the crowds at speed, moving protestors back into Trafalgar Square. Contradictory reports exist regarding the nature of the events during the afternoon; some claimed that the mounted police intentionally antagonised protestors and that police riot vans were driven into the crowd, which further escalated the riots. As a consequence, underground stations in the area were closed which also made it harder for people to disperse. The rioting left more than a hundred people hurt and resulted in more than four hundred being arrested. Damage to property was extensive
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Poll Tax Protestors, Picture credit: James Bourne
throughout key areas of central London, including Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden. During the day, protestors had thrown debris at police, set fire to a builders’ cabin and climbed scaffolding. By night this had escalated to looting and setting of fires in cafes and wine bars in Covent Garden, with events continuing into the early hours of the next morning. The unpopularity of the Community Charge undoubtedly contributed to Margaret Thatcher’s downfall. When the tax was introduced, 17 million refused to pay. In opinion polls, 78% were opposed to it. For the first time, Thatcher’s popularity as Prime Minister was seriously questioned. As a consequence, Michael Heseltine, who had always been an outspoken critic of the poll tax, triggered a leadership contest in November 1990 from which John Major emerged the winner. Major appointed Heseltine as environment secretary, increased VAT to generate extra cash for councils, announced the abolition of the community charge and introduced its replacement – council tax – in March 1991.
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