Doctors not diversity managers

View this email in your browser ([link removed])
Time to put patients first
Whilst taxpayers have certainly had a tough time of it this year, for one group of public sector employees, it’s been very prosperous indeed - equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) managers. The TPA team have been doing some digging into just how much these woke pen pushers are costing hard-pressed Brits.

Our latest investigation, shared exclusively with the Daily Telegraph ([link removed]) , revealed that over £13.5 million is being spent on 336 diversity roles at 111 NHS trusts across the country. But the madness doesn’t stop there. NHS England recently announced ([link removed]) plans to create three new departments and hire over 200 additional EDI staff. This is all despite the then health secretary, Steve Barclay, demanding funds be redirected to the front line.
With NHS bureaucrats seemingly deaf to the pleas of elected ministers, our team headed to Leeds, home of NHS England. Protesting outside the offices of the apparent decision makers, we made it clear what taxpayers expect health bosses to do: Put patients first and ditch the diversity managers! As our chief executive, John O’Connell, made clear ([link removed]) in the Telegraph: “Taxpayers have had enough of public services funnelling money into the grievance industry.”
[link removed]
In a video recorded on the ground ([link removed]) , I explained just why cracking down on this nonsense is so important. As Brits struggle to see their GP and patients languish on lengthy waiting lists, there can be no excuse for continuing to syphon precious resources away from front line services. With NHS England’s budget accounting for 14.6 per cent of all government spending, taxpayers’ deserve better!

We need your help. If you agree with us, be sure to sign our petition and share it with your friends and family ([link removed]) . The more voices that speak up, the better chance we have!

If you can support the work of the TPA, click here to donate ([link removed])
TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
Council tax misery

With council tax bills already hitting new highs earlier this year, it looks like the pain is set to continue ([link removed]) for households across the country. Rates could be set to soar by a whopping £120 for some Band D properties next year!
Speaking to the Telegraph, our media campaign manager, Conor Holohan, blasted: “On top of the tax burden already reaching a 70-year high, taxpayers are now staring down the barrel of inflation-busting local rate rises. Town hall bosses should slash local waste and stop council tax rises.”

You can sign our petition calling for an end to council tax rises here ([link removed])
Parliamentary expenses

Ahead of the latest round of MPs expenses data being released, our digital campaign manager, Joe Ventre, took to the airwaves ([link removed]) and spoke to Lisa Aziz on LBC News. From duck houses to airpods, there have certainly been some shocking claims in the past.
[link removed]
As Joe explained to listeners: “There’s a cost of living crisis, a 70 year high tax burden, so I do think there’s a massive onus on MPs now to be responsible with the money that they’re granted.” Quite right!
The Scottish siesta

With four day weeks and working from the beach, it’s hard to be shocked by public sector extravagances. But when we heard about Scottish civil servants enjoying a “wellbeing hour” at a cost of £7 million to taxpayers ([link removed]) , it’s fair to say we were less than impressed.
As John told readers of the Scottish Sun: “While ministers squeeze ever more tax out of pay packets, bureaucrats are being granted a siesta. The Scottish Government should put a stop to this pilot.”
Blog of the week
Counting the costs of Labour’s private school VAT plans

With an election due next year and all the polls pointing to a Labour victory, in this week’s blog ([link removed]) , TPA intern Penny Hampden-Turner has taken a look at one of their key pledges - charging private schools VAT.
As Penny explains: “While private schools do, by their nature, create a two-tier system and, in many people’s eyes, perpetuate elitism; forcing them to pay VAT will not help remedy this issue. In fact, it may make them even more elite.”

Click to read Penny’s thoughts in full ([link removed])
War on Waste
Safe streets and visible policing are close to the hearts of most taxpayers, but the latest innovation from Sussex police ([link removed]) seems unlikely to fill many with confidence.

The force has shelled out £24,000 on two ‘PC pods’ (6ft by 8ft sheds) which can’t even be used to lock up lags. Taxpayers expect police to be catching criminals not splashing the cash on pointless gimmicks.

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

Benjamin Elks
Operations Manager

[link removed]

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** [link removed] ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
Copyright © 2023 The TaxPayers' Alliance, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in to receiving our updates, or we have a legitimate interest to contact you about our work.



TaxPayers' Alliance is a trading name of The TaxPayers' Alliance Limited, a company incorporated in England & Wales under company registration no. 04873888 and whose registered office is at 55 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QL.



You can read our privacy notice here: [link removed]
Our mailing address is:
The TaxPayers' Alliance
55 Tufton Street
London, London SW1P 3QL
United Kingdom
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.