Bill Nighy and Andrew Lincoln star in video supporting Robin Hood tax

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey

Get our The Life Cinematic email for free

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

David Yates, director of the Harry Potter movies, has enlisted actors Bill Nighy, Clémence Poésy and The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln for a short satirical video calling for a Europe-wide banking transaction tax.

Known as the Robin Hood tax, the film coincides with a meeting of European finance ministers this week to discuss the introduction of the tax, which could help ease poverty in developing countries to the tune of £20 billion.

The film is set in 2024, celebrating the 'anniversary' of a 2014 decision to introduce the financial transactions tax. Lincoln begins: "So, ten years from what some people refer to as the 'miracle tax' started..."

"We look back on it as a profoundly important moment," Poésy says. "It's been good for business and it's brought billions for jobs in Europe."

Nighy's character, British banking CEO 'John Bostock', mocks the country for refusing to enact the tax like other European countries. "As you know, we didn't do it in the UK…" he says bitterly "We haven’t seen any benefits in terms of money to fight extreme poverty…jobs…no…public services…no…climate change…oh leave it alone."

The Book Thief's Heike Makatsch and Bad Education's Javier Camara also appear on the panel.

Yates described the Robin Hood tax as "a simple yet brilliant idea". "We need to learn the lessons of the financial crisis and ensure that banks and hedge funds work in the interest of society, not the other way around," he told The Mirror.

Nighy, who starred in Christmas rom-com Love Actually alongside Lincoln, notes that France, Germany and nine other European countries are about to introduce the "tiny tax that could do so much good".

"It would be deeply regrettable if the rest of the world were caught on the wrong side of history," he added. "Introducing the tax alone will not be enough, the billions it will raise need to be invested in tackling poverty at home and abroad and fighting climate change."