The TaxPayers' Alliance - Home

Friday May 9

Blogs

12.00pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Here be criminals

It's encouraging to hear, then, that Colin Drane, founder of American crime mapping website Spotcrime.com has offered to do a London crime map for free, which chimes in well, naturally, with our budget-controlling instincts. Whether Boris takes Drane up on his offer or uses another platform, it's imperative that he grabs Crime mapping with both hands. It would be the first step to a safer city, more effective policing and a happier populace... - Read More

10.00am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Time for Nanny to retire

The political ramifications of the 10p tax band, however, give us the best arguments for raising the income tax threshold to remove the poorest from income tax as well as providing greater incentives to work.  In the long run, it should sit as a stark reminder to any government that, when in doubt, leave the people alone... - Read More

Media Coverage

Matthew Elliott: Britain needs tax cuts to prevent City companies fleeing to Ireland

"Many of these firms are moving to Ireland, a country that has had enormous success attracting new international investments.  Britain’s future prosperity depends upon our politicians learning lessons from the incredible performance of Ireland’s low tax economy.  Between 1994 and 2003 they cut their rate of corporate tax from 40% to its current rate of 12.5%.  That policy has delivered spectacular economic results.

In 1993 Ireland was significantly poorer than the United Kingdom, with income per capita 28% higher in the UK.  Its economy then took off, with average real terms economic growth between 1994 and 2006 of 7.4%.  In contrast, the UK managed just 2.9% real terms growth in the same period.  Today the Irish enjoy income per capita 20% higher than we do in the UK." - Full Article

- Quarter of MPs have relatives on the payroll

"Matthew Elliott of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'We constantly hear that MPs should be paid the same as prominent businessmen, but there is no way anyone in the City could just install their spouse as their secretary and expect the company to cough up.'" - Full Article

- North East Politics Show: Business rates

Asking local businesses to vote to increase their rates is a bit like asking turkeys to vote for Christmas... yet that is what is happening in Newcastle...

But not everyone thinks the idea is a good one. The TaxPayers' Alliance believes inviting businesses to pay higher rates will only lead to businesses retreating from the centre. It says, "When businesses desert an area, the quality of that area rapidly declines as unemployment increases, shop fronts get boarded up etc. Therefore, we need to revisit the policy of the 1980s of enterprise zones, where areas which needed development/regeneration had zero business rates for a period, attracting new businesses, smarter buildings, and more employment." - Full article

If you're in the North East you can see the TaxPayers' Alliance put the case against higher Business Rates at 11am, Sunday 11th May, BBC One.

Thursday May 8

Blogs

6.00pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Worcester branch making an impression

With a spread in the local press about the launch and a brand new website now in place, it’s no wonder the new Worcester branch of the TaxPayers’ Alliance is already going from strength to strength! - Read More

5.15pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
The public sector discovers user involvement

Apparently, getting users involved at all is still an innovation in our public services... - Read More

11.00am, Campaign
Peter Webb:
SW Surrey TPA April Campaign Diary

South West Surrey Organiser Peter Webb updates us on the SW Surrey TPA Campaign for April... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Peter Riddell: Parties let us believe we can have it all

"Several recent polls, including the annual YouGov surveys for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, have highlighted increasing scepticism about whether the expansion in government programmes is being efficiently spent, as well as growing resistance to higher taxes." - Full Article

- £69,000 pay-off for Ken Livingstone

"Matthew Elliot, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "There is no reason why Ken Livingstone should receive a penny from taxpayers. He earned a generous salary as Mayor, knew the date he was up for re-election, so should have planned a financial buffer in case he lost." - Full Article

- Letter: Evidence that budget can be cut

"It seems that despite spending £1.9m on publicity last year, Barnsley council still can't come up with their own response to reports. Surely this is evidence that the publicity budget can be easily cut back?
Mark Wallace, Campaign Director, The TaxPayers' Alliance" - Full Article

Wednesday May 7

Blogs

11.00am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

During these tough economic times, families have to tighten their belts.  Councils should be expected to do the same instead of squandering taxpayers’ money on positions the community can easily live without... - Read More

Media Coverage

- £69,000 pay-off for loser Livingstone

"Matthew Elliot, the chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said last night: "There is no reason why Ken Livingstone should receive a penny from taxpayers.

"He earned a generous salary as mayor, knew the date he was up for re-election, so should have planned a financial buffer in case he lost.

"The margin of Boris Johnson's victory shows that Londoners are pleased to see the back of Ken Livingstone, so they won't be pleased to hear that he's receiving a golden goodbye as a reward for his failure in office." - Full Article

Tuesday May 6

Blogs

10.00am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
A tale of two crimes

"The front page of the Metro newspaper today reveals that police guidance instructs rank and file police not to register car vandalism as a crime." - Full Article

Media Coverage

- MPs to press for pay rise of up to £15,000

"Matthew Elliot, the chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, condemned the proposed rise. He said: "Tax payers are really feeling the pinch from rising food and fuel prices, higher taxes and bigger mortgages, so MPs should not be imposing extra burdens on the public purse by expecting higher pay.

"This pay hike is massively out of line with the pay rises the Government has imposed on teachers, nurses and police officers." - Full Article

- Greedy MPs want £15,000 pay rise

"But Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “Taxpayers are really feeling the pinch from rising food and fuel prices, higher taxes and bigger mortgages.

“So MPs should not be imposing extra burdens on the public purse by expecting higher pay.

“This pay hike is massively out of line with the pay rises the Government has imposed on teachers, nurses and police officers.” - Full Article

- Secret 25% pay rise for MPs

"Critics of the Westminster gravy train were also disgusted by the latest pay demand from MPs. Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers are really feeling the pinch from rising food and fuel prices, higher taxes and bigger mortgages, so greedy MPs should not be imposing extra burdens on the public purse.

“This pay hike is massively out of line with the rises the Government has imposed on teachers, nurses and police officers." - Full Article

Friday May 2

Blogs

1.40pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
The Staff Room Dumbs Down

Schools Minister Jim Knight has released a Good News Bulletin. Since every teacher we know is severely hacked off, and the pupils evidently do a better job than qualified teachers, we decided to take a closer look. Just what has been happening in the staff room? What do Knight's claims actually mean? - Read More

10.15am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Fortnightly collections

Power needs to be returned to civil society, to ordinary people who can take control of their own lives and then get the kind of services they are entirely right to expect.  The rather humble convenience of weekly bin collection is just one example... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Rising costs hit household bills

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Businesses are passing on their taxes to consumers, and consumers are already grappling with higher fuel and food prices, higher mortgage costs and higher personal taxes.

“Unless the Government starts tackling waste and cutting spending, Britain is going to head towards a severe recession.” - Full Article

Thursday May 1

Blogs

5.20pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Sandwell Council's poor customer service

Re-branding can be expensive and largely pointless at the best of times, but wasting time and money replacing accepted and entrenched terminology with vacuous newly invented lingo is a disgrace, and most certainly a disservice to residents who pay their rates in good faith... - Read More

5.00pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Finding the right primary schools

We shouldn't be surprised when services run by politicians see shortages.  So long as the best schools don't have the freedom to expand and new schools can't be freely opened - so long as the system is controlled from Whitehall - supply won't be able to respond to demand... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Milking the motorists

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Councils are increasingly abusing the fines and charges system as a means of raising revenue.

'This is an extra council tax dressed up as a law and order measure.

'It's time councils realised that squeezing the public for all the money they can is not a solution to their financial problems - they need to start making better use of the money they already have.'" - Full Article

- Travellers build a hall at their illegal camp - with taxpayers' cash

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, yesterday said the situation was 'a disgrace'.

'Essex County Council should be standing up for the law, not building facilities for this illegal site,' he said.

'The council is meant to oversee and enforce planning laws, not help break them. It is an insult that taxpayers will have to foot the bill for building and bulldozing the place.'" - Full Article

- Drivers pay out £800m in fines

"Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Councils are increasingly abusing the fines and charges system as a means of raising revenue.'' - Full Article

Wednesday April 30

Public Sector Strikes

Download the full report (PDF)

Blogs

6.00pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Defending the indefensible

Further to my comments on the Fabian Society's attempts to "defend inheritance tax" and launch an anti-taxpayers alliance, Nick Cowen over at Civitas has written up an account of the Fabians' debate on the topic, held last night... - Read More

4.00pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Three reactions to the ten per cent challenge

As you might expect, the reactions of people around the country has been enthusiastic. Council tax has doubled in the last ten years, and has reached simply unsustainable levels. We've had a lot of people get in touch with us and sign up to support the TPA.

The reaction from councils has been rather more mixed... - Read More

3.30pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Correcting The Brown Version

Taxpayers would feel much better served if Mr Brown took less of their money, and was a deal more open and straightforward about his fiscal sums... - Read More

2.00pm, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

On Monday we challenged councils to reduce their publicity, middle management and pensions by 10% to produce real tax cuts next year.  East Sussex Council could start by axing this job and work that bit harder to give us some of our money back... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Labour Kate joins Tory Boris

The timing of her move could not have been more wounding for Mr Brown. He faces a backlash over the 10p tax fiasco — and Labour is on course for a hammering in town hall polls.

Mr Brown was hit by fresh figures last night showing Britain is in the grip of a strike epidemic. Public sector workers are 100 times more likely to strike than those in private firms, according to a study by the TaxPayers’ Alliance. - Full story

- Sisters lose fight to have death tax parity with gays

TWO elderly sisters yesterday lost their legal battle for the same tax privileges as gay couples. Joyce and Sybil Burden, who have lived together all their lives, are angry that one of them will face an inheritance tax bill of more than £50,000 when the other dies...

Matthew Elliott of the Taxpayers' Alliance said: 'This is a sad verdict for anyone who wanted to do the right thing and save for their family's future. Inheritance tax is an unjust and unfair levy that hits bereaved families when they are at their most vulnerable. Whilst these brave sisters have lost this battle, the strength of public opposition to inheritance tax is growing all the time and we are getting closer to winning the war to abolish it.' - Full story

- Filling up? That'll be £84 please

MOTORISTS will be forced to pay an average £84 to fill up their cars when fuel hits a predicted £1.50 per litre. Fuel is already at a 20-year high and more price hikes are yet to come, experts warn.

Diesel surged to more than 120.17p per litre yesterday while unleaded hit an average 109.95p – only just shy of £5 a gallon. The soaring prices last night prompted calls for the Government to help struggling drivers by cutting fuel duty...

TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive Matthew Elliott called for the planned fuel duty hike to be scrapped. “The Government are profiteering from high fuel prices, and causing serious misery as they do so,” he said. - Full story

Tuesday April 29

Blogs

5.45pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Too many laws

The problem is inexperienced political leadership.  A lack of clear objectives leads to a mish-mash of many regulations that achieves little but complexity and inconvenience... - Read More

5.20pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
West Midlands in Europe talk about the climate

For all West Midlands in Europe can do about climate change, they may just as well be dancing about it as talking about it. They should leave such discussions to global leaders, and divert taxpayers’ money back to where it is needed... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Weighed down by laws that govern our lives

"Mark Wallace, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is a shocking sign of the massive burden of regulation in Britain. Invasive and heavy-handed, government is a blight on business and on ordinary people's lives.'' - Full Article

- Mum dances a jig at court let-off

"But campaign group the TaxPayers’ Alliance said of the decision by Judge Michael Henshell at Manchester Crown Court: “This sends out an appalling message.” - Full Article

- Big diesel and petrol rip-off

"TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign director Mark Wallace said: “The tax- man seems dedicated to making life a misery for people who are just struggling to make ends meet.” - Full Article

Monday 28 April

Council Spending Uncovered 5: The Ten Percent Challenge

Download the full report here (PDF)

Blogs

10.00am, 2012 Watchdog
Mike Denham:
Guzzling At The Olympic Trough

According to the Sunday Times, guzzling at the 2012 trough has plumbed new depths... - Read More

6.00pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy
Local council seeks £2.8 million reimbursement

If this money is awarded back, it should be filtered straight back in to the pockets of those who paid it out to start with, to do what they judge best with it. It certainly shouldn’t become a council honey-pot to be dipped in to fund frivolous projects, driven by legacy-seeking councillors rather than local necessity... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Reducing PR and pensions bill 'could cut council tax by £40'

"Council tax bills could be reduced by £40 a year if local authorities cut back spending on areas such as publicity and pensions, says the TaxPayers' Alliance.

The group has compiled figures showing councils spend more than £400 million on publicity, £1.9 billion on senior management and £4.3 billion on pensions a year." - Full Article

- Fat cats lap up our council tax

"Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Council tax has doubled in the last decade and it now tips many families and pensioners over the edge.”

The group’s chairman Andrew Allum added: “We hear repeatedly that councils are cash-strapped, but there is a lot they can do to reduce costs.” - Full Article

- £660m Tax Bodge

"A shock new report by the TaxPayers' Alliance will this week shows that people in an average and D home could pay £40 a year less tax if councils cut back on PUBLICITY, PAY and PENSIONS." - Full Article

Friday April 25

Blogs

4.50pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Crime Mapping

New Conservative plans, reported in the Telegraph, for detailed, public crime mapping could do great things for the relationship between ordinary people and the police.  Particularly if they are combined with the election of local police chiefs... - Read More

1.00pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Vote Red Mist

MacKenzie's red mist descended because Elmbridge Council decided to increase the cost of his station's daily car parking charge by 43%. Just like that.

Interesting. Because all of us are suddenly realising how much these local authority charges have escalated. From car parks, to library fines (see this blog), to policing fees (see this blog), to pest control charges, these days local authorities routinely rack up their charges far faster than prices generally... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Matthew Elliott: Cynical tax ploys that give Labour control over so many people

"The British public have suffered many injustices at the hands of their own Government in recent years – prisoners given more protection than victims; schools failing in a blizzard of regulations and initiatives; council tax doubling in return for worse services – but the warped immorality of the tax and benefits system tops them all." - Full Article

- More than 100 MPs employ family members on expenses

"But Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is a completely outdated practice that raises people's suspicions about politicians' motives. To ordinary taxpayers, Parliament is an excessively generous gravy train at the best of times, but the fact that so many MPs employ family members is simply unacceptable. To dispel any suspicion that they are taking advantage of taxpayers' generosity, this practice should be banned once and for all." - Full Article

- More than 100 MPs employ relatives at taxpayers' cost

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, which campaigns for lower taxes, said the "outdated practice" should be banned. "Parliament is an excessively generous gravy train at the best of times, but the fact that so many MPs employ family members is simply unacceptable." - Full Article