MP ANGELA Smith has joined south Essex charities in backing calls for a new Robin Hood tax on banks to help the poor.

Pirates of the Caribbean star Bill Nighy and Blackadder creator Richard Curtis are backing the “world’s greatest bank job”, which would see a 50p levy on every £1,000 traded by big money institutions.

Mrs Smith, who is Government Charities Minister and Labour MP for Basildon, supports the idea of taxing financial transactions between banks and using the money to tackle poverty and protect public services.

She said a similar idea had been discussed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown last year and she would welcome it.

She said: “I think the campaign is excellent.

“Even if people don’t agree with Mr Curtis and Mr Nighy, they should recognise the issues they are raising.

“It is something which is worth serious consideration.”

The idea is being floated by a coalition of charities, environmental groups and unions.

Campaigners said it would be just a small tax on bankers, but would make a big difference in fighting poverty, climate change and protecting public services, such as hospitals. A huge message was projected on to the Bank of England, in London, by campaigners, which read “Be Part Of The World’s Greatest Bank Job”.

Kate Jones, training and development manager for Basildon charity Pavis, which supports visually impaired people, agreed with the campaigners.

She said: “Anything which gives money to support charities is always welcome.

“Especially small charities which are always looking for help, as a lot of people will donate to big charities, but can sometimes forget local causes.”

Marilyn De Battista, head of revenue services at St Luke’s Hospice, in Basildon, said the idea was excellent in principle, but worried about how the tax would be brought in.

She said: “The cause is very noble and we would obviously welcome any incentive which aims to support our financial burden.

“But the difficulty and our concern will be in the detail of how it is administered, and the knock on effect it will have on banking customers.”