We need people like him

Oxfam, the charity turned NGO but claiming all the benefits of charitable status, is at it again. It is campaigning for the infamous worldwide Robin Hood Tax, a contentious political issue with misleading arguments. How do taxes on banks not affect people who are shareholders or pensioners or, simply, depositors?

One chap in Taunton has decided to campaign against what he rightly sees as political campaigning on the part of Oxfam. The NGO's big charity's answer?

Oxfam is seeking court action to ban a pensioner from one of its shops, and is asking him to pay a £10,000 legal bill.

But Barry Nowlan, 63, of Taunton, says he has a legitimate complaint about Oxfam’s “political campaigning.”

The charity banned the retired bank clerk and Lloyds shareholder from its shop at The Bridge in Taunton after he complained about a poster which highlighted Oxfam’s call for a “Robin Hood” tax of banks and financial institutions.

The charity accuses Mr Nowlan of causing: “great distress” and “harassing volunteers”.

He denies the claims but admits entering the building since Oxfam banned him by letter.

Oxfam says seeking an injunction at county court is a “last resort.”

Mr Nowlan said on Friday: “Oxfam claims its Robin Hood Tax will come from bank profits and bankers’ bonuses, not from the ordinary people”. But banks are owned by shareholders.

Someone pointed out to me that Mr Nowlan is probably a royal pain the derrière. Probably. But we need more of them.