Billy Bragg in Facebook protest as he refuses to pay income tax unless RBS bonuses are curbed

Billy Bragg is urging the public to join him in refusing to pay their taxes unless ministers curb 'excessive' bonuses at Royal Bank of Scotland.

The singer and Left-wing activist has set up a campaign called NoBonus4RBS on the Facebook website to 'convince the Treasury to act'. The group, which had attracted 2,000 members last night, also calls on supporters to write to Alistair Darling expressing their anger.

RBS, which is 84 per cent owned by the taxpayer following a string of bailouts, is expected to pay up to £1.5billion in bonuses to its investment bankers.

Resolute: Musician Billy Bragg says he will not pay income tax if the Government does not curb bonuses paid out by Royal Bank of Scotland

Mr Bragg, 52, pictured, wrote: 'I understand that the Treasury had little choice but to use taxpayers' money to safeguard savings and stabilise and restore confidence in the financial system.

'What I don't understand is why, now that we taxpayers are the majority shareholders of these banks, we seem totally powerless to curb their excessive bonus culture?

'Unless [Mr Darling] acts to limit them to £25,000, I shall be withholding my tax payment on 31st January.'

When asked about the prospect of jail, Mr Bragg, who released the hit album Talking With The Taxman About Poetry in 1986, added: 'I'm hoping it won't come to that. This is to draw attention to the issue. I'm fed up of no one doing anything about it.'

One supporter who signed up wrote on the website: 'About time someone did something about this outrage. We all whinge about it (rightly) - but we don't DO anything, that's why the silent majority is silent. We should all withhold our tax - they can't put three million people in prison!'

The campaign came as London Mayor Boris Johnson wrote to global banking chiefs urging them to scale back the size of rewards for staff.

City Minister Lord Myners yesterday indicated that Britain could still impose a U.S.-style levy on banks to recoup taxpayers' money.

A Treasury spokesman said last night: 'We can reassure Mr Bragg and anyone else that there will not be big bonuses paid with taxpayers' money at RBS.'