TPA research exposes ballooning bureaucracy

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The civil service: a growing problem
This week, the latest TPA research landed ([link removed]) , and it’s fair to say it made quite a splash. Courtesy of our chairman, and former treasury economist, Mike Denham, the hard-hitting paper revealed the shocking growth in the number of civil servants since 2016.
Between March 2016 and March 2023 the number of civil servants increased by 101,440, a jump of 24.2 per cent and the largest increase in at least half a century. Whilst an increase was likely in the wake of the Brexit vote and the Covid pandemic, that the numbers have continued to balloon since March 2022 is a kick in the teeth for taxpayers. These shocking figures mean the annual salary bill for full-time staff has increased by an eye-watering 60 per cent, rising from £9.7 billion to £15.5 billion.
Our research, which you can read in full here ([link removed]) , dominated the news agenda. As well as being splashed across the front page of the Daily Telegraph ([link removed]) , prominent write-ups in the Times ([link removed]) , Daily Mail ([link removed]) , Sun ([link removed]) , Express ([link removed]) , Yorkshire Post ([link removed]) , Spectator
([link removed]) , and Herald ([link removed]) meant it was hard to pick up a paper and not see it. With so much coverage in print, it was unsurprising that the broadcasters wanted a slice of the action.

Our head of campaigns, Elliot Keck, kicked things off on GB News. Appearing live in the studio ([link removed]) , Elliot explained to viewers across the country: “It’s becoming far, far more focussed on things like social research, economics, and policy, and not on operational roles which are the frontline delivery services. So what we’re seeing is a civil service that is increasingly out of step with the priorities of both voters and taxpayers.”
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Delving into the details, TPA policy analyst, Tom Ryan, took part in a Times Radio debate ([link removed]) about our findings. Tom rightly argued: “The increase has been truly enormous… To put it down to Brexit and Covid, certainly those are things which require a certain amount of capacity, but what we’ve seen is that the increase has continued even after Covid measures have been wound down.”

And as if that wasn’t enough, John O’Connell, our chief executive, appeared on TalkTV with Alex Phillips. John didn’t mince his words when he called out the enormous costs involved for taxpayers ([link removed]) : “With all of these new entrants into the public sector, you see big pay increases, you also see huge pensions being given out that people in the private sector would never get in their own walk of life. It’s not just a bill for today, it’s a bill for tomorrow’s taxpayers with a huge pension liability.”
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With the growth in senior management and cutbacks to the number of ‘operational delivery’ (frontline) staff, it’s no surprise that hard-pressed Brits have had enough! The bloated bureaucracy in Whitehall must be brought under control and turned into a more dynamic service, focussed on delivering for taxpayers.

Without the generosity of our supporters, this kind of agenda-setting research wouldn’t be possible. To all of you who have kindly donated to the TPA in the past, thank you! Only with your help can we continue to press for the efficient and dynamic public sector we deserve. Will you back the TPA today by clicking here to donate? ([link removed])
Grassroots news
On the same day that our research was hitting the headlines, our team hit the road for the final leg of this year’s Town Hall Rich List ([link removed]) Roadshow. Setting up our stall in Sunderland, residents were shocked to learn that the executive director of neighbourhoods received a mega £573,500 in 2021/22, the second highest amount paid to any council official in the country.
Voting in our highly scientific poll (ping pong balls in pots), local taxpayers were united in their opposition to this princely pay packet.

TPA intern, Olivia O’Mahony, brings us her reflections on this year’s roadshow ([link removed]) in a blog post. As Olivia observes, whether it was Guildford or Sheffield, Cardiff or Sunderland, “everywhere we went we found the same basic messages - taxpayers are not happy, and councils are not listening.”

Whilst this may be the end of the 2023 rich list roadshow, local council bosses should be in no doubt that the TPA won’t hesitate to pay them a visit if they don’t get their act together!
TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
The stonking £100 million daily ULEZ bill

As Sadiq Khan’s controversial ULEZ scheme continues to face fierce opposition, our team have been crunching the numbers to work out how much it would cost motorists if the ULEZ was rolled out across the country ([link removed]) . The result? Motorists would be faced with a massive £100 million bill every day under a nationwide ULEZ.
As John explained ([link removed]) to the Sun: “These costly levies make cash cows of low-paid drivers who can’t afford to upgrade their vehicles.”

Our media campaign manager, Conor Holohan, followed up on GB News blasting ([link removed]) : “Motorists at the moment are often the favourite punching bag of people, say in whitehall or metropolitan centres, who are able to use world class public transport networks… Some people have to use their cars for work and unfortunately they’re in for a pounding.”
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It’s clear these schemes will hammer the households and businesses who can least afford it. It’s time to slam the breaks on ULEZ!
How Net Zero is harming the world’s poorest

Continuing our Global Quangos Uncovered ([link removed]) campaign, exposing the role and costs of international bodies, Tom has taken a look at how Net Zero targets, and in particular the UK’s devotion to them, are having a damaging effect on some of the world’s poorest countries ([link removed]) .
In an op-ed for Spiked, Tom explains: “For several years now, the UK government has promoted Net Zero at home and abroad with a fanaticism reminiscent of Just Stop Oil activists… In most recent years, more of our aid budget is spent via global quangos like the UN than on direct aid to foreign countries. These supranational bodies are also deep in the Net Zero mire.” You can read Tom’s op-ed in full here. ([link removed])
Blog of the week
Global Quangos Uncovered: The World Bank

In this week’s blog, TPA intern, Callum McGoldrick, continues our series looking at global quangos, this time shining a light on the World Bank, exploring its origins and how ‘mission creep’ has morphed it into an entirely different beast ([link removed]) from that originally envisaged.
As Callum observes, having been established to provide loans for reconstruction and development, “The body now lists two priorities in its mission statement: to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable way. When visiting the ‘Priorities’ section of their website, the number one spot is taken by ‘Climate’.” Click here to read Callum’s fascinating blog. ([link removed])
War on Waste
Regular readers will know that we’ve long warned of the dangers of local authorities ‘investing’ in commercial properties ([link removed]) . This week, we bring you the case of Somerset council who have seen the value of their properties fall ([link removed]) by £25 million!

Town hall bosses must ensure that taxpayers’ money is treated with the respect it deserves, and not used to play monopoly with potentially devastating effects for residents.

Please send me your examples of wasteful public sector spending (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Wasteful%20spending)

Benjamin Elks
Operations Manager

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