The Resolution Foundation has called for significant reforms to the tax and benefits system. ‘Fairer by design: efficient tax reform for those on low to middle incomes’, written by the Institute for Fiscal Studies’ Paul Johnson, looks at revenue neutral ways how the tax and benefits system could be reformed... Read more...
Energy & Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey shamed for presiding over an increase in his empire Defence Secretary Philip Hammond praised for making essential cuts in backroom bureaucracy Today we can announce July’s recipients of its monthly awards to celebrate those politicians who have done the right – and wrong... Read more...
A couple of weeks ago I was writing about £9K of taxpayers' money being spent on a civic dinner in Rotherham. This week it's about £9K paid in compensation to a cleaner because they tripped over a mop handle! But that's not all. In a reply to a Freedom of... Read more...
The House of Lords splashed out on nearly £175,000 worth of new paintings and statues in the last financial year. Lords’ authorities revealed that the House of Lords Works of Art Collection Fund spending rocketed by around 1,000 per cent compared to the year before. The majority of the money... Read more...
Recently my colleague Henry Wilson wrote about taxpayers in Crawley picking up a £600 bill for translating just one copy of a pointless glossy magazine into Urdu. Since then a supporter has been in touch with an example of a leaflet he received from his council. The two page colour... Read more...
Reports say that Hampshire County Council has spent £223,000 on streaming equipment so that residents can tune in to watch council meetings. But despite terrible viewing figures - just 57 tuned in to the last meeting - council leaders insist it’s “a good use of taxpayers’ money”. The channel has... Read more...
Before the start of the new political year in September, I wanted to make you aware of an important personnel change here at TPA HQ. After eight very exciting years as Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, I have decided to pass on my day-to-day management and fundraising responsibilities to... Read more...
Hull’s community safety organisation, Citysafe, is demanding £29,000 from the Humberside Police Authority to fund an experiment which could see drunken troublemakers given free gym passes. Not only is it unfair that taxpayers’ money is being gambled on an uncertainty but by creating perverse incentives it’s also potentially harmful –... Read more...
The House of Commons Justice Committee has concluded in its latest report that the Freedom of Information Act is ‘working well’ and that no significant changes to the law are required. This is good news. There were reasons to be nervous when the Committee was gathering evidence, most notably about... Read more...
Writing for Public Service Europe TPA Research Director John O'Connell looks at the union bosses who are fighting reforms that would ease the pressure on taxpayers. Read more...
The mayor of Swindon’s expenses are under the spotlight after it was revealed his office expenditure totalled £110,000 in just 12 months. Figures uncovered by the Swindon Advertiser show that £83,400 was spent on four personal staff for Mick Bray. He also received a £10,000 personal allowance and £15,000 was... Read more...
The raison d'etre of the London Assembly is to hold the Mayor of London to account. As the Assembly's website states, "the 25 Assembly Members hold the Mayor to account by examining his decisions and actions to ensure he delivers on his promises to Londoners." The London Assembly is advertising... Read more...
Barnet Council has recently announced an end to council houses for life for new tenants. Instead it will replace them with fixed term renewable agreements which will be reviewed every five years. Across the country, we have a system of housing welfare that is dangerously unbalanced. Social housing should be... Read more...
Taxpayers in the Weymouth area from today might be lucky enough to see where £500,000 of their money has been spent as the floating Nowhereisland moors off the coast. As part of the ‘Cultural Olympiad’ the Arts Council England pumped vast amounts of taxpayers’ money into 12 questionable projects, Nowhereisland... Read more...
Commenting on today’s announcement that the economy shrank by 0.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2012, Matthew Sinclair, Director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:“Yet another quarter of economic contraction is dismal news for families already struggling to make ends meet. The evidence doesn't support those blaming Britain's economic... Read more...
Top union leaders are better paid than their counterparts in the private sector - and they do it by holding the nation to ransom, says Matthew Sinclair. Read more...
As I have previously commented, Nottingham City Council's Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) came into force on 1 April this year. If you are a responsible business owner who is able to supply 11 or more parking spaces to your staff, Nottingham Council will levy a fee of £288 per space.... Read more...
Writing for the Spectator's Coffee House TPA Director Matthew Sinclair looks at the latest report from the Energy and Climate Change Committee.Tim Yeo is now posing as a friend of the consumer. Launching the latest report from the Energy and Climate Change Committee this morning, he attacked the Treasury for ‘refusing... Read more...
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke MP this morning gave a speech to Policy Exchange on the Government’s efforts to tackle ‘aggressive’ tax avoidance. He started by declaring that the use of ISAs, pension plans, loss relief, capital allowances and other similar schemes do not constitute tax avoidance. People... Read more...
Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has flown out to Texas for the official hand over ceremony to receive the first of the MoD’s eye-wateringly expensive Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs). BAE Systems test pilot Peter Wilson said the plane’s stealth technology is "worth its weight in gold". You’d hope so. Because, weighing... Read more...
Failure to plan ahead for the Deputy Chief Executive’s retirement has left York taxpayers footing the bill for their council’s incompetence to the tune of thousands of pounds. Bill Woolley, the former Deputy Chief Executive, retired on 9th June, something the Council had known about for several months. But instead... Read more...
The Department for Communities and Local Government has published a report by Louise Casey, head of the newly established Troubled Families Unit, outlining the dysfunctional lives of sixteen families across England. Casey’s report tells the story of families who are struggling in the face of multiple problems, characterised by a... Read more...
As trade unions set aside substantial war chests (subsidised by taxpayers) in preparation for a further wave of disruptive strikes, we can reveal that 36 trade unions gave their bosses pay and perks of £100,000 or more. Click here to read the full report Read more...
I recently debated on local radio the merits of Mayors and Lord Mayors. Should we have them? Do they give value for money? Many people do like the idea of having a Mayor, however especially during the current economic climate, taxpayers also want their money spent on essential front line... Read more...