'Robin Hood tax' takes from the banks to give to the worthy

Nearly 800 years after celebrated rogue Robin Hood launched raids from their Sherwood Forest hide-out - redistributing wealth from a greedy and corrupt aristocracy to the starving peasantry - he has been recruited to a new campaign. This month, 350 prominent economists have publicly backed a proposed 'Robin Hood tax' on speculative financial transactions, which could raise about $US400 billion ($A450 billion) a year worldwide.