Britain's leading aid agencies unite to tackle tax havens

The Guardian is carrying the following letter in today's edition:

• The Guardian's investigation into offshore secrecy highlights a significant problem that is global in its impact. Developing countries lose vital resources for development through illicit capital flight, to such an extent that Africa is actually a net creditor to the rest of the world. Ending financial secrecy to expose corruption and tax dodging that hurts the poorest countries is a vital step in changing this reality: and that action must be global. We need a new international agreement to end the corporate anonymity and tax haven secrecy you have revealed. The prime minister has promised action at the G8, and our organisations will be working together next year to help make this happen. We are long overdue an end to the secrecy that denies resources to those in hunger and poverty.

Brendan Cox Director of policy and advocacy, Save the Children
Christine Allen Director of policy and public affairs, Christian Aid
Neil Thorns Director of advocacy, Cafod
Max Lawson Head of policy and advocacy, Oxfam
Paul Cook Advocacy director, Tearfund
Beverley Duckworth Policy, advocacy and campaigns director, Action Aid
Mariana Merelo Lobo Director of operations, Action Against Hunger UK
Glen Tarman Head of policy and advocacy, Bond
Adrian Lovett Europe executive director, One
Sol Oyuela Senior UK political adviser, Christian Aid

TJN is thrilled to have such a widely based support. Things have moved on a very long way from the days, not so many years ago, when TJN's John Christensen would roam the corridors in the development community, trying, usually in vain, to get people interested in these gigantic issues.

Will the UK Prime Minister now get with the programme?

Worth mentioning, too, that the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the BBC have played major roles in this investigation.