FIRMS that squirrel money away in tax havens must not receive government bailouts, a cross-party group of 30 MPs demanded today. 

Multi-billion pound companies, including Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic, have pleaded for state funds to prop up their ailing prospects during the coronavirus pandemic. 

But the MPs argue that only firms which pay their taxes, suspend dividends to shareholders and curb exorbitant executive payouts should be able to access public funds. 

These conditions were laid out to Chancellor Rishi Sunak in a letter penned by socialist Labour MPs Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Apsana Begum, Zarah Sultana and Claudia Webbe, and signed by 26 other Labour,  SNP, Plaid Cymru and Lib Dem MPs.

They pointed out that similar measures had already been implemented in other European countries. 

“Around the world, the current crisis is making it clearer than ever that we can’t go back to big business as usual,” Ms Ribeiro-Addy said. 

“Denmark, Belgium, France and Poland have all adopted similar measures to the ones we’re proposing, refusing state aid to companies allowing share buybacks and dividends or exploiting tax loopholes.”

The letter stresses that working people have already suffered a decade of austerity and should not have to foot the bill for a global disaster again.

It is time that the companies with the “broadest shoulders” paid their “fair share,” the MPs charged.

A recent poll by Survation found that 81 per cent of people surveyed did not want firms which avoid paying taxes to benefit from bailout schemes. 

The survey of 2,050 adults, commissioned by Unite the union, also found that 71 per cent would like taxes to be increased for the rich. 

Last month, Mr Branson sparked outrage when he asked the government for a £500 million loan to prop up his airline. 

Critics pointed out that the billionaire has not personally paid tax in the country since he moved to the British Virgin Islands 14 years ago. 

Airline Easyjet has already received a £600m loan from the government without any environmental conditions attached. 

War on Want senior campaigns officer Owen Espley told the Morning Star: “There should be no going back to bailouts for big business whilst ordinary people suffer cuts and income squeezes.”

“This crisis has highlighted a system that was already fundamentally broken. 

“We must build a better, greener future by transforming the system through a global green new deal which tackles the interlocked crises of neo-liberalism, inequality and climate change.

“It’s up to us collectively to fix it. Now is the time.”