The TaxPayers' Alliance - Home

Friday July 3rd

Blogs

3.15pm, European Union
Lee Rotherham:
Revealed! The new Draft Code of Conduct for European Commissioners
It is unlikely that members of the public, or indeed media, will have seen this yet, as the proposals seem limited to floating around a Brussels intranet. The Policy Department for the Budgetary Affairs wing of the European Commission’s Internal Policies Directorate has come up with a 118 page document that looks set – potentially – to radically shake up the highest levels of the Commission... - Read More

3.10pm, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
An agenda for educational improvement
Conservative thinking on education has taken on board all the efforts, mistakes and neglect of the past 12 years, and been informed by the many examples of what works and what doesn't. On Tuesday Michael Gove - Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families - laid out the broad thrust of their policy in a speech to the Royal Society of the Arts... - Read More

11.00am, Campaign
Emily Rand:
We're in the middle of a recession. Do councillors deserve a raise? 
According to This is Somerset, Councillors in North Somerset have generously voted to increase their own salaries by 30%, how thoughtful of them. The rest of the country is suffering through a severe recession, worried about keeping their jobs, and these people are giving themselves increases at their constituent’s expense... - Read More

Hinckley Times, MP Tredinnick's expenses ridiculed by Taxpayers Alliance
Burnley Citizen, Pendle Council paid for teenage criminal to stay in Burnley hotel
Daily Mail, Britain's tallest comedown: Iconic 'B of the Bang' sculpture is demolished
Belfast Newsletter, Stormont expenses U-turn welcomed

Last night...
BBC Wales Today, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire voiced concerns over the revelations that Welsh AMs and MPs had been paying thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to their parties through office rent
Dragon's Eye, Susie said taxpayers would be concerned to learn that their money had been used to bolster the coffers of political parties through AMs and MPs paying above market rate for their office rents. To watch the programme, click here

Thursday July 2

Blogs

5.50pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Alton Towers trip for those who go to school

There was a time when wagging off school and taking sickies here, there and everywhere was seen as poor form, now actually going to school everyday in the way you’re supposed to is being viewed as an achievement and richly rewarded…by the taxpayer... - Read More

3.30pm, Campaign
Emily Rand:
Put a stop to the wasteful NHS bribes

Smokers in Dundee are now being paid to give up cigarettes as part of a NHS scheme.  Quitters now receive £12.50 towards their groceries each week in order to give them the encouragement they need. The taxpayer funded crusade against smokers continues... - Read More

11.45am, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
OECD Verdict On Brown's Fiscal Strategy

The OECD has just published its latest Economic Survey of the United Kingdom. And it's a pretty damning verdict on 12 years of Labour government... - Read More

11.00am, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
Another business survey; more bad news for RDAs

However hard one trawls the web, it's hard to find an independent analysis of RDAs that gives them a  really good review. Journals dedicated to regional issues - a natural home for pro-RDA opinion one might think - struggle to present a case beyond "their better than nothing". Most studies settle with: "some might be doing ok, most could be done away with". The TPA's assessment, published last year (see here), was undoubtedly one of the most critical out there, but even the Government sponsored review, carried out by PwC, had to rely on 'projections of potential future benefits' to find anything positive to say... - Read More

Scottish Sun, Sick joke
Expressen (Sweden), Matthew Elliott: Choose democracy over prestige, Prime Minister Reinfeldt
Health Service Journal, Jon Restell: how to cope
BBC News Online, Party offices cost public £473k
Western Mail, AMs ride gravy train with £30.65-a-day meal deals
Express & Star, Fury at costly credit crunch conference
BBC Radio Wales, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire said many Welsh taxpayers would be concerned that AMs are paying inflated rents for office space to their local constituency offices. She called for greater transparency, and a full investigation in all cases where there had been suspicious use of taxpayers’ money.

Yesterday evening,

Look North, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire said that South Cave Parish Council needed to explain why their administrational costs were so high

Wednesday July 1

Blogs

2.15pm, Campaign
Tim Aker:
East Hertfordshire Independent Remuneration Panel outcome

Some months ago it was announced that two vacancies had arisen on the East Hertfordshire council Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP). Although only a consultative body, the role of an IRP is to recommend all the pay and perks councillors can get and, therefore, have considerable power and influence... - Read More

12.30pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Nationalised Express

For regular passengers on the East Coast main line, the news that National Express has failed in its running of the line so badly that the Government has decided to seize control of it will come as no surprise. For the taxpayers who are now faced with yet more railway costs, though, the move is a worrying one... - Read More

12.00am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

Publications Journalist
£32,169 - £36,912

With excellent knowledge of newspaper, magazine or online publishing and a proven track record of working as a professional journalist your job will be to research and write for Surrey Matters, our magazine for the 1.1 million residents of Surrey, Jigsaw, our staff magazine, and their respective online equivalents... - Read More

 

Daily Telegraph, Palace officials spent £250,000 renovating Princess Beatrice apartment
South Wales Echo, Assembly Members’ expenses claims unveiled
Daily Express, YOU SPEND £256,000 ON A SWANKY FLAT FOR PRINCESS BEATRICE
London Evening Standard, Princess Beatrice digs cost £250,000
BritainNews.net, How Royals blew Brit taxpayers' money
Local Government Chronicle, Eaton warning over pension costs
Glasgow Herald, MPs blast EU over ‘unacceptable’ budget errors
Daily Express, POLICE GIVE MUSLIMS IN CELLS COMPASSES TO PRAY TOWARDS MECCA
Daily Express, DUMPED MARTIN MADE A LORD 
Martin Salter MP, Parliamentary Tench Trip
Sky News, TPA Campaign Director Mark Wallace was interviewed for the Breakfast Show about MPs' second jobs and urged full transparency
LBC, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire said that police budgets should not be spent on compasses for Muslim prisoners to find the direction of Mecca
BBC Radio Humberside, Susie Squire said that South Cave Parish Council had serious questions to answer about its budget and urged Parish Councils to be more transparent
BBC Radio Wales, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire took part in the lunchtime phone in, talking to listeners about MPs' second jobs and calling for a complete register of interests

Last night...
BBC Scotland, TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire said it was wrong to bribe people to stop smoking

Tuesday June 30

Blogs

3.00pm, European Union
Lee Rotherham:
PAC, Man

The Public Accounts Committee at the Commons has today released a biting report, looking at the monumental scale of public waste in the European Union budget. Lest we forget, this is the fourteenth consecutive year in which the Court of Auditors has declined to sign off the books... - Read More

11.00am, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
OECD urges bold cuts to public expenditure

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) gave its strongest line on the  UK's fiscal problems yesterday, urging the Government to return to "credible" spending plans... - Read More

The Argus, Taxpayers outrage at West Sussex council fat cats
Daily Telegraph, BBC sends 407 staff to Glastonbury but does not broadcast full sets
Digital Spy, BBC criticised over Glastonbury 'junket'
Sky News, Glasto Fiasco: BBC Accused Of Staff 'Junket'
United Press International, BBC's Glastonbury expenses raises ire
Business Wire, British Expense Scandal Should be Lesson for U.S. Lawmakers
RedOrbit, BBC's Glastonbury expenses raises ire
The Sun, Princess's £250k flat refit... on taxpayers
Western Mail, Nine Welsh Tories and a £200-a-night hotel
Yorkshire Post, Big clear-up starts at Glastonbury as BBC accused over 400 staff 'junket' 
BBC Radio Three Counties, Susie Squire said that BBC expenditure on Glastonbury was excessive
BBC Radio Humberside, Susie discussed the number of staff the BBC sent to Glastonbury, calling it excessive and wasteful

Monday June 29

Blogs

2.30pm, Economics 101
Matthew Sinclair:
Public spending dominates the economy outside of the 'Greater South East'

In 2007-08, 41.1% of the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was public spending.  There had been a significant rise since spending bottomed out in 1999.  But, that is nothing compared to what is projected to happen over the next few years... - Read More

9.00am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Councils in the Trough

Two stories caught my eye this morning that should send taxpayers' blood boiling.  First into the trough was Kent County Council who pushed up their allowances by a shocking 8% last week! - Read More

Sunday Telegraph, Revealed: MPs' pay from second jobs
Sideswipe, A total quack-up
Scotsman, MPs braced as second job earnings to be revealed
Daily Star, JOB LOT OF CASH FOR MPS
Daily Express, MOONLIGHTING MP'S EARN AN EXTRA £200K PER YEAR
The Sun, BBC sends 405 staff to Glasto
Western Mail, Log on and discover what expenses your AM claimed
Guido Fawkes, Keen’s Squatters are Angry Taxpayers
ConservativeHome, Mark Wallace: Councils must resist the demands of local NHS nanny-staters which would have the effect of banning Popeye for under-18s

Over the weekend,

Mail on Sunday, 'Bloated' Beeb sends 400 employees to cover Glastonbury despite hard economic times
Sunday Mercury, Midland police forces pay out £1 million in tribunal cases
The Mirror, BBC bosses spent almost £400k of tax payers' money on luxuries
Daily Express, ANGER AS BBC CHIEF DEFENDS EXPENSES BILL
Belfast Newsletter, Assembly 'trying to cover up expenses'
Daily Express: LABOUR'S AIR TAX HIKES PRICE US OUT OF THE SKIES

Friday June 26

Blogs

 
4.15pm, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
Bankruptcy ... the great reformer

The Guardian reports today that the Government is to end its centralised control of schools, abandoning one of New Labour's most significant education reforms... - Read More

3.00pm, Better Government
John O'Connell:
The domino effect

First Westminster, now the BBC. The burgeoning desire for public spending transparency shifted its focus to another big beast of state funding this week, and the revelations have courted outrage, albeit not as vehement as that directed at our politicians. Again, the claims vary from the grand to the frivolous – from swanky Vegas hotels to 19p in mileage... - Read More

2.30pm, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
How to cut £90 billion a year

Prospect has an good piece by David Halpern this month, urging the Government begin the painful but unavoidable process of cutting public expenditure... - Read More

1.00pm, European Union
Lee Rotherham:
You Know When You've Been Quangoed

With hundreds of EU working groups and committees in existence, perhaps it’s time for an insider to put together a flow chart of who does what, and behind which closed doors... - Read More

Wall Street Journal, The Cap and Tax Fiction
Michelle Malkin, ManBearPig to the rescue: Gore lobbies for cap-and-tax
Campaign for Liberty, Letter to Congresswoman Giffords (AZ-8) regarding HR 2928 "Cap and Trade"
Your Local Guardian.co.uk, MP Alan Keen claimed for two sat-navs on expenses for constituency visits
Romsey Advertiser, Hampshire Constabulary underspent by £2m
Motorcycle News, Parking battle D-Day
Southern Daily Echo, Cllrs Keith House and Louise Bloom claim £80,000 from taxpayers
Evening Standard, Credit crisis lawyers cost taxpayer £23m
The Sun, MP's naughty nibbles expenses exposed
Daily Telegraph, £119,000 council job advert attacked for being written in 'gobbledegook' and 'waffle'
Daily Express, CITY’S £73,000 SLOGAN ‘JUST A WASTE OF CASH’
Thisiskent.co.uk, 'Serious problems with claims for council tax'
Daily Mail, Health and safety killjoys ban welcome mats and pot plants - because they're a fire risk
Daily Telegraph, Families told doormats are health and safety risk
Bookseller.com, Clare defends MLA response to Freedom of Information request
Daily Mail, 'No regrets': Remorseless Ronnie Biggs is still a risk but can go free, say parole chiefs
Independent, Steve Richards: It's time people knew how their money was being spent
Yahoo Finance, BBC attacked over expenses
Global Investor Bookshop, A review of The Bumper Book of Government Waste by Tom Winnifrith
BBC Radio Wales, Good Morning Wales: Matthew Sinclair attacked extravant MPs' expenses claims
BBC Radio Wales, Midday phone-in: Matthew Sinclair attacked extravant MPs' expenses claims
BBC Newsnight, Matthew Sinclair attacked extravant MPs' expenses claims
BBC Radio Ulster, Matthew Sinclair attacked extravant MPs' expenses claims

Thursday June 25

The Sun, MP's naughty nibbles expenses exposed
Daily Telegraph, £119,000 council job advert attacked for being written in 'gobbledegook' and 'waffle' 
Daily Telegraph, Popeye to be given 18 certificate for smoking pipe
Daily Express, MPs want more of our cash for their pensions
Motorcycle News, Parking battle D-Day 
Hounslow Guardian, MP Alan Keen claimed for two sat-navs on expenses for constituency visits 
Evening Standard, Credit crisis lawyers cost taxpayer £23m 
LBC, TPA Campaign Director Mark Wallace said that all BBC expenses must be made fully transparent
BBC News Channel, Mark Wallace argued that only full transparency and strict reforms would restore confidence in Parliament
BBC Wales, Mark Wallace said that MPs were well-rewarded already, and should not get a pay rise

On TV last night...

ITV News, TPA Campaign Director Mark Wallace said taxpayers would not accept any extra subsidy being paid into MPs' pensions

Wednesday June 24

Blogs

5.30pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Claim your free horoscope from David Tredinnick MP

It seems that David Tredinnick, the Bosworth MP best known for his part in the cash for questions scandal, has possibly outdone the moats and the duck houses in the ridiculous expenses claims stakes. He has claimed for software and training to make him proficient in...astrology... - Read More

3.30pm, 2012 Watchdog
Mark Wallace:
And the fraud Gold Medal goes to...

The 2012 Olympics have plenty of legitimate troubles (budget overruns, design problems, accountability vacuum etc) without criminal ones, too. However, today's press reports suggest that it may not just have been incompetence that has been costing the taxpayer so much money in the run up to 2012... - Read More

12.00pm, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
Mergers and Aquisitions

When a new schools policy is announced, check the reaction of the National Union of Teachers (NUT). Supportive, and the policy is liable to be misguided. Condemnation, and the policy is perhaps worth considering... - Read More

10.00am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

Consultation and Community Engagement Officer, £37,692 - £40,314... - Read More

Cambridge News, Council's £600 for tricorn hats
Daily Telegraph, Taxpayers charged £7,000 to refurbish Alex Salmond's house
The Mirror, Police pay for gipsy jamboree
The Mirror, Prince Charles pocketed more cash but paid less in taxes
Daily Star, Party for gipsies at police HQ
Daily Telegraph, Police force hosts party for gipsies to improve relations with travellers
Personnel Today, RBS chief exec's £9.6m pay pot angers shareholders
Daily Mail, Fury as police hold party for travellers at force's grand HQ to 'improve relations'

Tuesday June 23

Blogs

1.00pm, Better Government
John O'Connell:
A royal mess

The Daily Mail reports today that Royal Mail could be fined up to £40million for an alleged scam that  aimed to fudge findings from efficiency reports. An independent research company chose panels and these people then sent letters to each other – containing the name and address of the sender – so they could then gauge how quickly this post would arrive at the intended address... - Read More

 

Daily Mail, New Speaker is Tory hated by his party, tainted by expenses furore... and facing plot to unseat him
Daily Express, BALLS’ CRUSADE OVER THE FATTY LUNCH BOX
Daily Express, POLICE’S HUGE BONUSES JUST FOR DOING JOBS
Ipswich Evening Star, Fury over council workers pay
Daily Mirror, HESTER RANSOM 
Sky News, TPA Campaign Director Mark Wallace urged Prince Charles to rein in his travel spending to reduce the tax burden in the recession

Monday June 22

New Research

Speaking volumes: the European Commission's Libraries

Download the full report (PDF).

Blogs

5.50pm, Better Government
Ben Farrugia:
Public Sector Employment

Last Wednesday the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published it's quarterly statistical bulletin for Public Sector Employment. Total public sector employment at March 2009 sat at 6.020 million, 20.7% of UK total employment... - Read More

5.30pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Taxes on alcohol and parliamentary scrutiny

There's a fascinating post over on Chris Dillow's Stumbling and Mumbling blog about the possibility that increased taxes on alcohol will increase binge drinking, ceteris paribus... - Read More

9.00am, European Union
Lee Rotherham:
Leave Your Bandicoots in the Red Channel

The CITES Convention was an international agreement to protect endangered species. As we are now approaching the holiday season, please be aware that it has recently been amended... - Read More

Metro, EU libraries cost £570 to read a book
Daily Mail, Anyone but Bercow: Both parties plot to install Margaret Beckett as new Speaker
The Mirror, New Balls sleaze
Western Mail, £78m council tax not collected
Western Mail, MP Don Touhig under fire over £1,000 rise in mortgage claim
Western Mail, Welsh MPs claimed more than £400,000 on food over four years
Huddersfield Examiner, Kirklees Council “jargon” advert for £119,000-a-year post criticised
The Brighton Argus, Straight paramedics "bribed" to take part in Brighton Pride
Northern Echo, Expenses: Miliband accused of stepping out of line
Booktrade.info, Press Release: Deals Done: Fleeced!
ConservativeHome, Mark Wallace: Birmingham should cut council tax by the £193m it has allocated to a new and unnecessary library
TuningTruck, UK police officers confuse diesel and gas pumps four times a day, cost taxpayers 1 million
Western Morning News, Lib-Dems channelled £64k to party coffers
South London Press, MP Dowd claimed £12k in four years
The Scotsman, Hester in line for £9.6m to turn around ailing RBS
CarRentals.co.uk, Outrage in Wales over government expenditure on car hire
Guardian.co.uk, Speaker contest: 10 MPs jostle for position
Times Online, Anger mounts to £9.6m pay deal for RBS boss
CityWire, Anger mounts over RBS chief's pay deal
Independent.co.uk, Nominations open for Speaker post
Beeld, Britse minister in pekel oor staat vir sy dansfoto’s betaal
Die Burger, Dansende minister geroskam oor ‘geldverkwisting’
LocalGov.co.uk, Council job advert slammed over jargon
The Sun, Gastrojail
BBC Radio Scotland, TPA Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said RBS must rein in its massive paypackets now that it is spending taxpayers’ money
SunTalk, Matthew Elliott was interviewed about the excessively lavish meals being served in some jails
Sky News, TPA Campaign Director Mark Wallace said that RBS’ new pay deal and its £300,000 Wimbledon hospitality bill suggested it still wasn’t taking care with taxpayers’ money

Over the weekend,

Kent on Sunday, Blacked-out MPs' expenses 'a let-down for public'
Mail on Sunday, David Miliband claimed £50 from the taxpayer for photos of himself line-dancing
News of the World, Gums and Ruses
Sunday People, Lags' price tag
Sunday People, Jail threat to Commons cheats
Sunday People, Outrage at £310k Lottery money for pygmies
Daily Express, Shameless MPs censor their expenses
Daily Mail, Scotland Yard will investigate some MPs over expenses scandal
Daily Express, Police Chief Blair's £580k pay bonanza
The Guardian, MPs' expenses: Council tax claims row as leaders pledge clean sweep
Daily Mail, Tainted race to be Speaker: Five hopefuls give back cash they should not have had
Daily Express, MPs face fraud charges
Western Mail, Taxpayers’ group condemns ‘bizarre claim’ for cost of training Plaid MP’s staff in public relations skills
Daily Telegraph, Sir Ian Blair paid £580,000 in last eight months in office
Daily Telegraph, Paramedics offered overtime to take part in gay pride march
Western Morning News, MPs' expenses funded own parties
Daily Star, HOSPITAL FURY AS BABY P DOC SUES
The Mirror, MPs allowed to give expenses claims back with no questions asked