Itâs not always easy to tell how effective TPA campaigns are. They can take time. But weâre pretty proud of our record. From our groundbreaking exposĂ©s of council boss remuneration first published in 2007, which were originally based on Freedom of Information requests but, thanks to our campaigning, became required reporting. Or our revelations of public sector workers moonlighting as trade union officials which led to legislation showing how much youâre paying for union pilgrims. They may take time but the efforts of the TPA team are effective.Â
And after this week, we challenge anyone to say our crusade against the national debt hasnât caught the national attention.Â
|
|
For months weâve been shouting to anyone and everyone weâve met about the dire state of the national finances, specifically the monstrous levels of debt weâve accrued as a country - and no doubt some of you might be tired of reading about it.Â
But the debt clock we launched in July, and the first class data produced by our research team, has kicked off a national conversation.Â
First up, the House of Lords economic affairs committee published a report which raised a âbig red flagâ about the state of the finances. Chairman of the committee, Lord Bridges, said: âThis report highlights a grim reality: our national debt risks developing on an unsustainable path. This has not received the attention it deserves.â You can say that again.
This was followed by the chairman of the OBR warning that the debt could âspiralâ out of control and ÂŁ40 billion of tax rises or spending cuts are needed every decade. With the tax burden on its way to an 80 year high and ministers spending ÂŁ1.2 trillion every year, we know which of those we'd prefer to see!
|
|
|
Having made this issue a national talking point, weâre not letting up. We were back on the road with our van-mounted debt clock, taking the conversation out of Westminster and into the country. Touring the south of England, our team were joined by John Glen MP, shadow paymaster general, who said: âitâs fantastic to have the TPA here in Salisbury to highlight the challenges that the government are not dealing with in terms of the national debt.âÂ
Our work continues. With the budget due in just over six weeks, weâll be unrelenting in our campaign to make this a priority for the chancellor. The country canât afford for her to bury her head in the sand.
Â
|
|
|
How to solve a problem like healthcare
|
|
|
With this government being unafraid to splash the cash, you can only imagine our concern when Keir Starmer stood up to give a speech on NHS reform. All too often âreformâ of the NHS has been a codeword for good money after bad being thrown at our dysfunctional health care system. Naturally, there was relief when the prime minister emphasised that any extra cash will only come with major reforms.
Speaking to City A.M. our chief executive, John OâConnell, cautioned: âStarmer is spot on to bang the drum for reform but the claim that the health system has had an austere decade will leave taxpayers concerned that he is ultimately going to reach for the same, failed playbook of ever more cash⊠The prime minister needs to be held to his promise that the bill for these reforms doesnât end up coming out of the pockets of taxpayers.â
|
|
|
Of course, as part of his plans, and in contrast to his pledge to âtread more lightlyâ on our lives, Starmer decided to crackdown on the big issues - so called âjunk foodâ advertising announcing plans to ban the adverts before a 9pm watershed. Speaking to the Daily Mail, I called out this latest nanny-state overreach: âA clampdown on daytime advertising for junk food will do little to tackle obesity and simply hurt businesses and consumer choice. The Government should bin this pointless ban.â
|
|
|
TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
|
|
|
The congested DVSA
Learning to drive and passing your test are a right of passage for many young people (and a few older ones too), but if youâve tried to book a test recently you might have found yourself in for a lengthy wait. New TPA analysis has shown that the average wait time across the country is now four months with London the worst affected region coming in at a whopping 23 weeks!
|
|
|
Adding insult to injury, ÂŁ1.5 million has been paid out to learners by test centres for cancelled exams. Elliot Keck, our head of campaigns, slammed the situation: âThe calamitous quango is not just failing aspiring drivers, itâs costing taxpayers with its incompetence. The country remains heavily dependent on driving, not just as a form of transport but as a key part of many forms of employment, meaning that every cancelled test will be doing serious harm to the economy.â
|
|
Taxpayers funding Extinction Rebellion
Weâve all seen the protests, the orange paint, the sit-ins on roads, itâs fair to say the climate protesters are certainly creative in the ways they seek to disrupt the lives of hard-working Brits. But we were shocked to learn that taxpayers are actually subsidising some of these crazy groups. Residents of Bolton council have been left with a ÂŁ1,134 bill for an Extinction Rebellion âclimate cafeâ - whatever that means.
|
|
|
Speaking to Julia Hartley-Brewer on Talk, Elliot spoke for the nation: âI suppose Iâd prefer these people to be chatting about vegan cheese rather than what they normally do but the fact that taxpayersâ money is going towards this is absolutely extraordinary.â
|
|
One rule for them
This will be a slap in the face to many people this winter. Just as ministers are stripping winter fuel payments from pensioners, theyâve been found to be expensing their own energy bills!
|
|
|
John couldnât have put it better when he said to the Independent: âTaxpayers are tired of taking lectures from politicians unable to practice what they preach. Failed policies have driven up energy prices to levels that families are struggling to meet, yet MPs are insulated from the soaring costs.â
|
|
Why do we have so many regulators?
Iâm sure that readers are well aware that Labour seem to have their work cut out for them, from the ÂŁ22bn black hole or the major NHS reforms. They make everyone aware that they have a full plate of pressing responsibilities. Thankfully though, even with a full plate, they have time to set up numerous busybody quangos!Â
This week, our researcher, Callum McGoldrick has written about the proposed football regulator. The proposal for this football âwatchdogâ has come with mixed opinions. But Callum reminds us that quangos are all the same, a way for the government to shirk responsibility at an extremely high cost for taxpayers, or impose unwanted regulation without getting their fingers dirty.Â
|
|
Callum is spot on when he says this latest proposal should be shown a red card: âWhile the new government rarely lasts five minutes without reminding us of the failures of the previous 14 years, they seem all too keen to keep some of its worst ideas, the football regulator being a prime example.â
Â
|
|
Benjamin Elks
Grassroots Development Manager
|
|
|
|
|
