The TaxPayers' Alliance - Home

Monday March 31

Blogs

11.30am, Burning Our Money
Matthew Sinclair:
NHS Blog Doctor's misleading attack on the Town Hall Rich List

NHS Blog Doctor's attack on the Town Hall Rich List 2008 and the TaxPayers' Alliance is a mix of ignorance and irrelevance.  Little more than a dishonest and misleading smear... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Trevor Kavanagh: Brown and Blair will be put on trial

"The Taxpayers’ Alliance has been probing how your money is spent, with billions gobbled up in pay rises, inflation-proof pensions and pointless Whitehall directives." - Sun

- SPEAKER UNDER NEW PRESSURE OVER £1.7M HOME IMPROVEMENTS

"The Taxpayers' Alliance campaign said it would submit a new Freedom of Information request to uncover exactly how the money had been spent. Campaign director Mark Wallace focused on the £13,000 spent on art 'given that the Goverent art collection already has 7,000 paintings not currently on display'." - Full Article

- Thousands ripped off over council-tax bills

"Mark Wallace, campaign director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s bad enough that so many councils overcharge people, but it’s simply greedy of them to refuse to refund interest. If you owe the taxman money he will insist on a hefty interest payment, so it’s only fair that it works both ways. There should be a level playing field between taxpayers and public bodies.” Jenny Keefe of Moneysavingexpert said consumers should persist in reclaiming the interest, however. “Most councils do not pay interest automatically, but they might cough up when people write and complain,” she said.

“Some of our users have written and been turned down twice, and then got a cheque after the third letter.”" - Full Article

Friday March 27

Council Spending Uncovered 4:  Town Hall Rich List 2008

Download the full report (PDF, 1.3MB).

Blogs

2.00pm, Economics 101
Cllr J P Floru:
Celtic Tiger through tax cuts, not EU subsidies

I came across an article by Benjamin Powell  which explains how EU subsidies in fact did not help, but hindered Irish growth... - Read More

10.30am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
More spending fails to boost proportion of young people going to university

What these services need isn't yet more resources but to be set free of control by politicians... - Read More

Media Coverage

  - Over 800 council staff earn £100,000 a year

"More than 800 council officials are being paid £100,000 a year and 14 enjoy higher salaries than the Prime Minister, a report has claimed.

The Town Hall Rich List was published by the TaxPayers' Alliance as it was confirmed that council tax will rise above inflation again this year." - Full Article

- Council execs paid over £100k

- Full Article

- Council Tax Squandered

"The fat cat salaries were revealed in the annual Town Hall Rich List published by the TaxPayers’ Alliance yesterday. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the pressure group, said: “Taxpayers have a right to know how much senior town hall officials are being paid because only then can we judge whether they deserve their remuneration.

“Too often, council executives are rewarded handsomely even when they fail. Families and pensioners are struggling with the demands of yet another council tax rise, and councils owe it to them to cut back on executive pay increases." - Full Article

- Top council earners revealed - well some of them at least

"But details of the salaries of the 16 officers at County Hall who earn more than £100,000 have not been included after the council's chief executive Peter Gilroy blocked the disclosure of their names.

Mr Gilroy's own salary resulted in him being identified as the country's best paid chief executive in the same survey by the TPA last year.

The decision has prompted the TPA to name the county council as one of five to have produced "the most ludicrous local authority excuses for withholding information"." - Full Article

Thursday March 27

Blogs

4.30pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Failure in the education system

Some fascinating statistics from Michael Gove MP setting out how too many children are let down by our education system... - Read More

3.10pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Monitoring skills

That's why inexperienced politicians will struggle to make effective use of the advice of Civil Servants and other advisers - they don't have the experience necessary to spot the useless ones... - Read More

1.45pm, Campaign
Tim Aker:
How much worse off are you?

...this year’s average increase is still above the government rate of inflation and comes on top of ten years of council tax increases... - Read More

9.15am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

How about government cut its emissions by sacking these non-jobbers, saving on running costs their offices, computers, lights etc all use up and handing you back some of the cash you’ve lost in Council Tax over the past ten years…it’s just a thought... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Councillors attacked over 'luxurious and pointless' £62,000 taxpayer-funded trip to the U.S.

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'This is a gross waste of taxpayers' money.

'Essex residents pay their taxes for frontline services. But while those services struggle, politicians seem happy to swan off abroad.

'This junket is of minimal importance compared with sweeping the streets, policing the county and providing care for the vulnerable.

'Councillors should stop and think before going to every event they are invited to and expecting the taxpayer to pick up the tab.'" - Full Article

- Three years and £150,000 to find nine men jobs

"The Taxpayers Alliance has questioned the value of the investment and Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said: "It is a huge amount of money for a miniscule amount of jobs.

"It goes to show the public sector should not be involved in trying to micro-manage job creation.

"Most small businessmen I speak to would rather have lower taxes and then they would be able to create more jobs," he said.

The public sector had a poor track record for creating job opportunities and "always spend a lot of money and get poor results," said Mr Elliott." - Full Article

- Council junket draws criticism

"But Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is an appalling waste of taxpayers' money.

"Faced with rising taxes and struggling services, this trip is the last thing councillors should have been doing - and the taxpayer should certainly not have to pick up the bill. It's time people in local government thought about what is really important to taxpayers." - Full Article

Wednesday March 26

Blogs

11.50am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Eco-town plans showcase politicians' ability to keep repeating their mistakes

Eco-towns are likely to prove expensive - both financially and in terms of destruction of the natural environment they are built on top of.  Unless they are stopped or seriously rethought that cost might be paid just in order to create new urban planning disasters... - Read More

11.45am, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Gordon and Dave must publish

Sadly it seems the Commission doesn't know when to quit - a characteristic some would say is shared by its Chairman, Michael Martin... - Read More

9.10am, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Dark Days For Taxpayers

Taxpayers on both sides of the Atlantic should be depressed by yesterday's decision by the US authorities to revise their Bear Stearns bail-out terms... - Read More

Media Coverage

Mark Wallace, TaxPayers' Alliance Campaign Director, appeared on South East Today last night to discuss whether Britain is becoming too benefits dependent. You can watch the programme here (7 minutes 10 seconds in).

- MPs in great claim robbery

"Matthew Elliott, head of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s an insult to use our own money to hire lawyers to keep details secret from us.

[...] The Speaker also claimed the tribunal had paid “insufficient attention to the reasonable expectations” of MPs — and “may have misdirected itself in law”.

But Mr Elliott said: “This has been dragged out at vast expense for years.

“Instead of paying lawyers at the High Court they should just hand over the information.

“We deserve to know how our money is spent." - Full Article

- Outcry over Essex Conservative councillors’ £62,000 US trip

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “This is a gross waste of taxpayers’ money. Essex residents pay their taxes for frontline services, but while those services struggle senior politicians seem happy to swan off abroad.

“This junket is of minimal importance compared with sweeping the streets, policing the county and providing care for the vulnerable. Councillors should stop and think before going to every event they are invited to and expecting the taxpayer to pick up the tab." - Full Article

- Martin in court bid to keep MPs' perks a secret

"Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “It’s unforgivable that MPs are spending so much taxpayers’ money to keep this secret. We deserve to know how our money is spent." - Full Article

- Now PM claims "I'm the friend of Middle Britain"

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, also laughed off claims that Mr Brown was on the side of ordinary people.

He said: “Millions of people around the country are struggling under an unsustainable burden of council tax, on top of which they are squeezed by dozens of stealth taxes. A prime minister who was on the people’s side would be cutting taxes and relieving that burden.” - Full Article

- Maxine Carr gets boob job on NHS

"But Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is disgusting. Why should hard working families foot the bill for this woman's plastic surgery?

"Taxpayers' money is meant to be spent on people who need and deserve help, not on criminals who never spared a thought for wider society when they committed their crimes." - Full Article

Tuesday March 25

Blogs

10.00am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Postcode lotteries

The answer here isn't yet more centralising targets.  These don't only breed inefficiency and poor decision making but can even create as many regional imbalances as they fix.  An example is centralised pay bargaining that increases mortality in richer areas as hospitals have to overuse agency staff (PDF, article from Kent on Sunday)... - Read

9.50am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Crumbling schools

If control were handed back to Civil Society the resulting distortion could be removed and those with a direct stake in the performance of the school - teachers, students and parents - could and would insist on properly maintained facilities... - Read

9.45am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
More non-job madness

Instead of just getting the job done, building the Olympic park and ensuring there’s track to run on and such, the Olympic Delivery Authority sidestep all that in the name of ‘gender equality’.

On your buck, they’re attempting to ‘promote gender equality’ in the construction industry... - Read More

9.10am, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Taxpayers Say No To The Bankers

It's the banks and their shareholders who have profited from getting into these new businesses. And taxpayers should not be made to bail them out when the going gets rough.

We reckon King is up for toughing it out. But Mssrs Brown and Darling? - Read More

Media Coverage

- £80k expert to help prisoners shop for treats

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said the "bizarre" move showed how ministers had the wrong priorities.

He said: "When the Government is struggling with the simple things, such as teaching our children to read and write and making sure hospitals are clean and hygienic, it seems bizarre that they're paying such a big salary to the top prison shop assistant.

"Employing someone to make sure inmates get their favourite Pot Noddles will make them even more likely to commit crime when their sentence comes to an end." - Full Article

Thursday March 20

Blogs

5.45pm, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Lobby Suffolk Council to stop Chief Exec pay hike

Send an email, make a call, do whatever you can to show Suffolk’s county councillors that we want our money put to the frontline [...]  With only a handful of Conservatives needing to rebel, you can save Suffolk’s taxpayers thousands of pounds by giving 5 minutes of your Easter weekend to lobby for lower taxes and better government... - Read More

3.00pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
The risks of overseas operations

If they didn't have to pay twice for their medical care (once for the NHS, once to get the operation within a reasonable time and without a huge risk of serious infection) then they might not need to leave the UK... - Read More

9.00am, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

Islington Council is hiring a Senior Play Ranger... - Read More

Media Coverage

- A very political tax policy

"Matthew Sinclair, Policy Analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, told ConservativeHome: "Britain has done extremely well out of cuts in corporation tax in the past and could see huge returns from moving towards Irish rates today.  Other countries have learned that lesson just as we appear to have forgotten it." - Full Article

- Council Tax 'has doubled to £21.6bn under Labour rule

"Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'Council tax has doubled over ten years but the quality of services has not increased by twice as much. People simply can't afford to pay any more.

'It is about time politicians realised the problem isn't that people don't pay enough tax, it is that money is clearly being wasted.'" - Full Article

- Bob Neill tops MPs' spend perk list

"Campaign director of the Taxpayer's Alliance Mark Wallace said: "There is no other job in the world where you would be allowed to do that. MPs are doing very well from investing our money in their properties."

[...]

Mr Wallace lambasted Mrs Lait's comments. He said: "That is a very arrogant and quite remarkable thing to say. MPs are meant to be in touch with their constituents."

"They need to realise that this money doesn't come from thin air. It comes from hard-working families and pensioners who wouldn't dream of buying a £200 blender. I have never even seen one.

"Comments like this will fuel suspicion that our politicians live in a parallel world and are increasingly out of touch." - Full Article

Wednesday March 19

Blogs

3.30pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Quango Board of the Week:  Week One

Are you interested in joining the West Midlands Police Authority yourself? Fancy seeing exactly what they get upto? Well you're in luck because they're advertising for someone new to join them - if you'd like further details then just drop me a line... - Read More

11.40am, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Another poster for Sandwell Council

Every event, indeed every thought that occurs to Sandwell Council seems to find itself emblazoned in 12inch high letters on most flat surfaces in the vicinity... - Read More

10.30am, Economics 101
Mike Denham:
Keeping The Poor In Their Place

For 7% of adults it's even worse: they face an effective marginal tax rate of 90% plus, meaning they lose at least 90p of every extra £1 they earn.

So who are these people? Mega-wedged investment bankers busily inflating more debt balloons down at the Wharf, perhaps? Rock stars? Undeserving plutocrats having their pips squeaked by our Socialist rulers?  Ah, no. Worst case for all of those high-rolling groups is a marginal tax rate of 41%. The only people who face 80, 90, 100% tax rates are the poor... - Read More

9.50am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Voters want lower taxes but politicians are stuck in the 90s

An excellent article by Tim Montgomerie, editor of ConservativeHome, in the Guardian contains this priceless quote... - Read More

9.40am, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Gershon Speaks

This morning BBC R4 Today interviewed Sir Peter Gershon himself about the whole nonsense... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Is the Mipim property fair a waste of taxpayers’ money? Yes, says the TaxPayers' Alliance

"What are our taxes paid for? When we pay taxes, we expect the money to go on essential services and frontline activities that politicians always use to justify higher taxes.

It is shocking that hundreds of thousands of pounds are instead spent every year sending council officers and quango officials to Mipim, the executive property development conference held annually in Cannes." - Full Article

- Council under attack over 'fat cat' pay increases

"Sutton Council is under intense pressure from the Taxpayers' Alliance to reverse a decision to award chief officers pay rises of up to £10,000 a year.

The group encouraged householders to lobby against "fat cat" increases after publishing all 55 councillors' telephone numbers on its website." - Full Article

Tuesday March 18

Blogs

5.45pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Dismantling Northern Rock

What happens when the government guarantee goes? Yes, most of the deposits likely go too. Or to put it another way, taxpayers will have to go on guaranteeing NR's deposits into the forseeable future... - Read More

8.40am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Trust in politicians dismally low

Stop overpromising and people might start to believe what you tell them... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Labour appoints quango to set pay-as-you-throw tax on rubbish

"Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said the plans breached the principle that no one should be taxed without representation.

He added: "Giving people the power to raise taxes without accountability leads to only one thing – taxes running out of control." - Full Article

- The top public sector stories this week

"17. A quarter of primary schools are still not teaching children to read using the Government's preferred phonics method, Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, has complained." - Full Article

- Tightrope walk for Cameron on tax

"David Cameron and his shadow Treasury team, led by George Osborne and Philip Hammond, are harassed daily on rightwing websites like ConservativeHome and the Taxpayers Alliance." - Full Article

Monday March 17

Blogs

3.45pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Lessons from the Bear

And remember: the lender and guarantor of the last resort is always the taxpayer. It's most unlikely the Crock and the Bear will be the last casualties of the deflating debt balloon, so taxpayers could end up holding A Lot of dodgy assets... - Read More

2.00pm, Campaign
Peter Heaton:
Parish Council empire building

Now they’ve got themselves offices, staff and a van. What next? Some assistant chief executives? Voting to put their expenses up? Or a health and safety officer to oil the wheels of the £400,000 gravy train they are running at our expense... - Read More

1.45pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Axing the Beast

If you can't think the unthinkable in opposition, then frankly you haven't got a prayer of doing so once in power... - Read More

10.40am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
What do the public think of politicians as managers?

Topshop, part of Sir Philip Green's empire, is a world-beater - our public services can be too if we set them free of political management... - Read More

10.30am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Stick to your job

The final result will be a less responsible and well behaved society.  A poor result for undermining shareholder capitalism... - Read More

9.25am, Economics 101
Corin Taylor:
Politician alert! More lunacy from Philip Hammond

So Hammond's answer to the following questions would presumably be: Do you think taxes are too high? "Yes". So will you cut them? "No, well, maybe in 2014". What utter rubbish! - Read More

Media Coverage

- 70,000 families on benefits of £25k

"Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Instead of providing a safety net for those falling on hard times, the welfare state has now strayed into creating a culture of welfare dependency.

“This is a burden on the taxpayer and an appalling situation that many people on benefits find themselves trapped in. It must be changed for the good of all our society." - Full Article

- Darling Gives Us All Road Rage

"Research by the TaxPayers' Alliance also backs up Osborne's claims. It says that over the next two years millions of drivers will face soaring bills as road tax on some popular family models doubles, and that tax on 88 per cent of models will rise. Only 9 per cent of vehicles will benefit from the new system." - Full Article

- MPs told they can claim for kitchen cabinet

"But Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "John Lewis is a fine store, but it is hardly the cheapest place to purchase household goods." - Full Article

Friday March 14

NOW WITH DATA FOR OLDER CARS

Blogs

4.45pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Executive government

Fraser Nelson has an extended piece at the Spectator website discussing the expert political team Brown is building.  Clearly, politicians are starting to realise they need experienced talent to run their own political campaigns - how long before they realise that the public services need the same? - Read More

4.30pm, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Inexperienced politicians and the messes they make

Iain Dale, in the Telegraph, sums up beautifully how inexperience leads to incompetence among Government ministers and advisers... - Read More

4.00pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
City Region will cost smaller areas more per head

It's a shame that those who should be looking out for the interests of places like Coventry, Telford and Dudley seem to stand aside and let them be treated like Birmingham's poor relations... - Read More

2.00pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
In The Long-Term We're All Broke

This government has talked a lot about fiscal reponsibility and something grandly called "intergenerational equity". We wonder whether a future working generation paying 50% tax with no pension before 80 will think equity has been achieved... - Read More

10.30am, Campaign
Matthew Sinclair:
A misleading poll on the Budget tax grab in the Times

It is hard to imagine how Populus could have made their poll, given prominent coverage by the Times, on the budget tax changes less reliable.  They make just about every mistake in the book... -Read More

9.30am, Better Government
Matthew Sinclair:
Balls is spinning instead of fixing our failing education system

Our education system is failing and the Minister, tasked with doing the impossible and managing such a huge system from the centre without experience, is spending his time spinning instead of getting on with fixing things! - Read More

Media Coverage

- Higher tax for 9 in 10 drivers

"Matthew Elliott, of the TPA, said: "This was dressed up as a measure to only punish extravagant cars, but it will hit the great majority of models.

"Alistair Darling may have claimed high moral motives, but this is just a grubby tax grab that will hit millions of ordinary families.'' - Full Article

- Revealed: what MPs can claim on expenses

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "John Lewis is a fine store but it is hardly the cheapest place to purchase household goods.

"How many ordinary taxpayers spend £ 1,500 on a TV and stereo when there are cheaper deals elsewhere?'' - Full Article

- Leader: A new chancellor, and a new stealth tax

"However, some number-crunching by the ever-vigilant Taxpayers' Alliance has calculated that, in fact, nearly nine in 10 cars will attract higher rates of tax under Mr Darling's proposal. Just nine per cent of vehicles will benefit from the new system. The biggest losers will be popular family cars." - Full Article

- MPs are on the makeover

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “John Lewis is a fine store — but it is hardly the cheapest place to purchase household goods.

“How many ordinary taxpayers spend £1,500 on a TV and stereo when there are cheaper deals elsewhere?

“No wonder the Government wastes so much money if MPs don’t have to stick to a tight budget themselves." - Full Article

- 90% of cars hit by road tax hike

"Critics said the lunacy of Labour’s plans was exposed by road tax on a Nissan Micra rocketing by 24 PER CENT while the bill for a gas-guzzling Hummer will rise 14 per cent.

Changes also see a “first year rate” on new cars from 2010, costing some Mondeos £750.

Last night the Taxpayers’ Alliance revealed 88 per cent of motorists will pay more road tax under the blueprint.
majority." - Full Article

- Tax Rises?  You ain't seen nothing yet!

"Matthew Elliot of the TaxPayers' Alliance said it looked as if Labour was planning a giveaway Budget before the election, followed by a tax-rising Budget if it wins." - Full Article

- On the house!

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'John Lewis is a fine store but it is hardly the cheapest place to purchase household goods.

'How many ordinary taxpayers spend £1,500 on a TV and stereo when there are cheaper deals elsewhere?

'No wonder the Government wastes so much money, if MPs don't have to stick to a tight budget themselves.'" - Full Article

- Kent keeps its own counsel on pay

"The Taxpayers’ Alliance, which wants public servants who earn more than £50,000 a year to be identified, is trying to use the Freedom of Information Act to force Kent County Council to name the staff." - Full Article

- Kitchen Stink

"The list got its name because John Lewis prices were used as a benchmark after it was rated top of all retail shops in last year's Which? guide. But Matthew Elliott of the TaxPayers' Alliance blasted: "John Lewis is hardly the cheapest place to buy household goods. How many ordinary taxpayers spend £1,500 on a TV and stereo?" - Full Article

Thursday March 13 (cont.)

Blogs

3.30pm, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Sutton Council to increase tax and hike executive officer pay by 11%

…unless we can stop them! - Read More

2.30pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Pie in the Sky Budget Forecasts

Responsibility for public finance forecasts should be taken away from the Treasury. We need an independent Office of the Budget, modelled on the National Audit Office, and charged with producing non-partisan forecasts and analyses of public sector revenues, expenditure, borrowing, and debt. Other countries have that, and it's long overdue here... - Read More

Thursday March 13

Blogs

10.30am, Economics 101
Matthew Sinclair:
How much extra Vehicle Excise Duty will you pay?

In fact, new TaxPayers' Alliance research reveals that a heavy majority of the different car models in current production will face increased taxes under the new charging structure, even compared to the 2008-09 rates.  To find out how much you will have to pay for your car download our spreadsheet with details of every model in production... - Read More

9.30am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Balls to you, Ed

Email Ed Balls through his website and let him know you’re overtaxed.  You can also get recruiting for the TaxPayers’ Alliance by sending this link around to your friends, neighbours and family urging them to sign up and get involved... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Families will pay a record £25 billion in council tax

"Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'Council tax has doubled over the last ten years and people simply can't afford to pay any more.

'It is about time that politicians realised that the problem isn't that people don't pay enough tax, it is that tax is not being spent properly. This will put an unsustainable burden on already overstretched families and pensioners.'" - Full Article

- Making things worse

"Overall, today’s performance shows that Alistair Darling seems to have learnt little from the failures of his predecessor at No. 11.  Tax rises to pay for higher welfare spending, more complexity, higher borrowing and yet more meddling changes – hardly a coherent response to the current economic crisis." - Full Article

- Anger as council spends £100k on consultants

"Mark Wallace, of campaign group the Taxpayers Alliance, criticised the amount of cash given to "costly middle men".

He said: "This is a vast amount of money to spend on recruiting only a handful of people.

"Taxpayers who are being told there's not enough money for front line services and that their council tax has to go up yet again will be shocked to know this is how their money is being spent." - Full Article

Wednesday March 12

Reaction to today's Budget

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:

“The Chancellor talks the talk about families facing tough economic times but this Budget doesn’t actually do anything to help ordinary taxpayers struggling to pay rising household bills and record levels of taxation. Instead of tax relief, the Chancellor has simply tinkered with the system and brought in hefty rises on the cost a family car and a bottle of wine on the dinner table.”

A more detailed response will follow later...

The TaxPayers' Alliance is happy to offer spokesmen in response to the Budget for live or pre-recorded interviews. To arrange an interview or for further quotes please contact Mark Wallace, TaxPayers' Alliance Campaign Director, on 07736009548.

Media Coverage

- Tax rise on middle class 'highest in West'

MIDDLE-CLASS families are paying an extra pounds 1,250 a year after suffering the sharpest rise in their tax bill of any leading Western country over the past five years, figures show...Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Tax rises have damaged consumer confidence and reduced families' security and savings - everyone else has realised that this is a harmful policy.''  - Full story

- £220,000 council boss paid more than the PM Chief executive's salary 'totally unjustifiable', say critics

A COUNCIL was criticised yesterday for its "totally unjustifiable'' decision to award its new chief executive a £ 220,000 salary - £ 31,000 more than Gordon Brown earns as Prime Minister...Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers Alliance, said: "I think many people will be surprised to hear that the person in charge of Suffolk earns more than the person in charge of the whole of Britain. At a time when Suffolk is facing a squeeze on services, people find it very hard to understand how such a large rise from an already generous £ 150,000 salary can be justified.'' - Full story

- TAXMAN'S 'SLAP IN THE FACE' FOR RETIRED PENSION FUND VICTIMS

THOUSANDS of workers whose pension schemes collapsed will have their compensation plundered by the taxman...Matthew Elliott of the Taxpayers' Alliance said: 'This is a slap in the face for people who have already been left in dire financial straits. This is a heartless grab by the Treasury that shows they only really have one thing on their mind - squeezing us all for as much money as possible.' - Full story

- CLAMP ON MPs' PERKS

MPs will be forced to produce receipts for expenses over £25 - instead of the current £250 limit - in a bid to end Westminster sleaze rows, it was revealed yesterday...Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers Alliance, warned the changes did not go far enough. - Full story

Tuesday March 11

Blogs

5.50pm, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Dispatches from (a very wet) frontline

We were joined by TPA supporter Bill Cobbett who took some leaflets back to East Grinstead to continue the recruitment drive there.  This shows a great advancement for the TPA in Surrey... - Read More

4.30pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Another AWM conference...

Their unapologetic and actually quite brazen profligate spending – including a £118,000 one-day conference in November – is surely due to the fact that they remain completely unafraid of public scorn... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Council boss on more than PM

A COUNCIL is paying its new boss £220,000 a year — £31,000 MORE than PM Gordon Brown gets for running the entire country. Andrea Hill, 44, won the deal even though Suffolk County Council faces the CHOP in a government shake-up. Last night Council Tax payers reeling from a wave of cuts were outraged...

Mark Wallace, of the Taxpayers Alliance, said: “At a time when Suffolk is facing a squeeze on services, people find it very hard to understand how such a large rise from an already generous £150,000 salary can be justified." - Full story

- FREE MENTOR FOR MIGRANTS TO HELP CLAIM HANDOUTS

VOLUNTEERS will teach immigrants how they can claim benefits under plans to be unveiled today. The mentors – or buddies – will be expected to help migrants integrate and become British citizens. But already the ideas proposed by former attorney general Lord Goldsmith are being questioned. “If you want to teach people about a sense of fair play and taking responsibility, that’s fine,” said Mark Wallace, campaign director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance. But the Government must be careful this does not descend into lessons on claiming the most from the welfare state. The taxpayer funding any such scheme will be concerned their money is spent properly.” - Full story

- Milking the middle class: Darling to cash in with tax rises on alcohol and motoring

Gordon Brown was facing a twin backlash last night over Budget plans to raise taxes on alcohol and motoring which are clearly aimed at the middle classes...Campaigners predicted law-abiding drinkers will resent being made to pay for the abuses of the binge drinking minority. Instead of tackling the problem of drunken yobs, they say Alistair Darling is simply looking for ways to fill a black hole in the Government's finances. Matthew Elliott of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is really about squeezing more money out of the law-abiding middle classes." - Full story

Monday March 10

Blogs

1.00pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Post Office Closures

Essex County Council's £1.5m plan to make its Council Tax payers prop up 15 local post offices is merely the latest twist in a long and dismal saga of public sector buck-passing... - Read More

9.40am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
If they can't empty the bins on time...

…If they can’t work to budget, if they can’t deliver frontline services and if they squander your money on pointless non-jobs, then should local councils really be running local Post Offices? - Read More

Media Coverage

- The Taxman Cometh: Tonight

This evening the TaxPayers' Alliance will be contributing to a Tonight investigation into incompetence and abuse at HMRC: "Jonathan Maitland uncovers widespread chaos in the tax department and meets some of the over one million people who received the wrong tax bill from the Inland Revenue, and who have been battling to get their money back."  Watch it at 8pm on ITV1

- BANKRUPTED FOR 88P

Matthew Elliot, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'In a court of law people are seen to be innocent until proven guilty, but with the tax authorities they are guilty until proven innocent. You can supply all the evidence that you've got all your salary slips, your chequebooks, literally everything, but the taxman still comes after you.' - Full story

- FEELING BROKE? NO WONDER, HERE’S WHY

STEEP hikes in the cost of living have far outstripped wage rises, leaving families struggling to make ends meet, figures show today. Research reveals that after this year’s pay rises, British workers will take home an extra £44 a month on average...

Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said the study underlinend the need for tax cuts. “People are feeling the pinch from in high cost of living and high taxes more than they have for decades,” he said. “With the future on the high street looking decidedly shaky, the best thing for the Government to do would be to cut taxes and let us keep more of our own money in our pockets.” - Full story

Friday March 7

The economic and political case against higher fuel duty

The latest paper from the TaxPayers' Alliance investigates the true economic and environmental costs of fuel duty, and examines the politics of the issue. As reported on the front page of the Daily Telegraph and in today's Sun, the findings show not only are Britain's motorists paying hundreds of pounds too much in tax already, those hardest hit are in the most marginal constituencies in the UK. Read the full report here.

Blogs

4.35pm, Campaign
Mark Wallace:
Victory for Kent Taxpayers

As my colleague posted yesterday, Kent County Council Chief Executive Peter Gilroy, who last year was England's highest paid local government employee, has been fighting an increasingly desperate rearguard action to try to keep his salary secret from the taxpayers who foot the bill. His fairly weak excuse was that when we revealed his salary last year he had received "abuse" from taxpayers who felt they weren't getting value for money. So we were delighted to read the headline "U-Turn over KCC's staff" in the Kent Messenger today... - Read More

4.05pm, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
A Disaster Waiting To Happen

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has been out and about today trying to defend the government's new school Diploma scheme. And it certainly needs defending... - Read More

10.25am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
Prescriptions to go up in England...

With the budget round the corner the government is leaking the more unpopular aspects so as to mitigate the damage done on the day.  First they leave Northern Rock off the balance sheet, then higher fuel taxes are mooted and now today in the Metro there’s speculation that prescription charges will increase…but only for the English... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Record fuel price rises pave way for £5 gallon

ALISTAIR Darling was under mounting pressure yesterday to scrap plans for a rise in fuel duty after official figures showed pump prices are rising at the fastest rate on record....A coalition, including the National Farmers' Union, motoring groups, business leaders, petrol retailers and the TaxPayers' Alliance, demanded that the rise, scheduled for April 1, be scrapped.

...The TaxPayers' Alliance said the Government's chances of winning the next election could be threatened by any rise. An alliance study found that people in the 100 most marginal constituencies would be hardest hit because they are seven per cent more likely to drive to work, with journeys 13 per cent longer than for other voters. - Full story

- 'Too close' to the firms they must police

THE budgets of Britain's regulators have soared over the past five years and are set to top £1 billion for the first time this year despite widespread Government concern over their effectiveness...

Last night, the Taxpayers' Alliance said that the latest figures revealed that hundreds of millions of pounds may have been wasted on poor-value regulation. Corin Taylor, the research director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Britain's quango state is getting out of control. The regulators are sucking more and more money from taxpayers, are often failing to do their job properly and are virtually unaccountable.'' - Full story

- Motorists 'conned' over eco tax

MOTORISTS are paying £571 a year MORE in tax than they should to combat carbon emissions, a report claimed yesterday...

Labour faces a motoring backlash over the rises, warned the Taxpayers’ Alliance report. Spokesman Matthew Elliott said: “Politicians are exploiting climate change to squeeze us.” - Full story

Thursday March 6

Blogs

11am, Campaign
Tim Aker:
It's not your call Mr Gilroy

Let me ask you something.  Do you think that someone whose salary you pay should be accountable to you? Of course they should. One Council Chief Executive disagrees, and is trying to keep his pay secret - here's your opportunity to let him know what you think... - Read More

Media Coverage

- Naming high earners 'not in public interest' - should the public be entitled to know?

KENT County Council has refused to identify senior officers earning more than £100,000 a year because it fears they could become the target of public abuse. Council chief executive Peter Gilroy intervened to stop the release of the names following a request made under the Freedom of Information Act. This is despite the fact KCC released the information last year in response to an identical request, which led to him and other senior county council officers featuring in a "town hall rich list"...

The original request was made by the Taxpayers' Alliance. Ben Farrugia of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said Mr Gilroy was being "unreasonably obstructive". - Full story

- TPA opposes Welsh Council Tax rises

Matthew Elliott appeared on Good Morning Wales arguing against further council tax rises that are being introduced by local authorities across Wales. "Council tax has doubled in ten years, and yet services are still struggling - they simply aren't spending people's money properly. The solution lies with councils, not squeezing taxpayers further," he said. - Listen to the programme here (Matthew Elliott appears one hour in)

Wednesday March 5

Blogs

5.20pm, Burning Our Money
Tim Aker:
Non-job of the week

Lancashire’s taxpayers, after footing Council Tax bills that have doubled in the last ten years, better brace themselves to hear where their money’s going.  We found this job at Lancashire County Council from the Guardian Society jobs page... - Read More

4.35pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
Stoke pay over £50k after turning down freebie

The Audit Commission may well have promoted Stoke-on-Trent City Council from the very bottom of the council class, but it seems they may well be back to their old tricks...The Sentinel reported this week that the council spent at least £50,000 of taxpayers’ money demolishing a school when a local firm had offered to do it for free! - Read More

8.50am, Burning Our Money
Mike Denham:
Paths To Nowhere

The government's £250m pa eco-quango Natural England has just shredded another £4.5m. Discovering Lost Ways, a £15 million project, was set up by the Government six years ago to restore forgotten countryside rights of way. But the lost footpaths did not run smooth... - Read More

Tuesday March 4

Blogs

5.50pm, West Midlands
Fiona McEvoy:
The end of the road...?

Tomorrow the seven West Midlands councils involved in the transport and congestion debate are expected to conclude that the plan to introduce unpopular charges on motorists in the area is flawed, and therefore banish the spectre of road pricing. At least for the time being... - Read More

2pm, Economics 101
Mike Denham:
The Lottery Of Life

So what should we make of the schools lottery fiasco? Brighton's attempt to impose Marxist-Leninist principles on school place allocation (originally blogged here) has backfired spectacularly, with an outright reduction in the proportion of kids getting their first choi