Following an exclusive with The Sun, I can reveal that yet more public money has been wasted on overseas aid. The TaxPayers' Alliance has discovered the many ludicrous projects taxpayers' cash has funded. The government will spend over a quarter of a million pounds of international aid on dance and theatre performances, panel discussions, talks, and workshops.
One notable example saw £24,192 spent on "Peace Dance from a Central African Perspective". Organised by the University of Leeds, a team of practitioners spent three weeks in Lake Chad facilitating "rhythm and dance workshops" and conducting "a festive event in N'Djamena to showcase the art".
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This is just the latest in a long line of profligate spending that has been exposed by the TPA. As our media campaign manager Danielle Boxall told millions on talkRadio recently, politicians announce they are "proud" of money spent on foreign aid "but it's not their money they're spending its taxpayers' money."
As we've long argued, Brits must get the maximum possible value for every pound spent. For too long, cash has been thrown away by government departments on ineffective and unjustified projects.
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These latest revelations show how the public has been led on a merry dance when it comes to overseas aid spending. It's about time ministers stopped dancing to the aid lobby's tune, cut the aid budget, and focus help at home. We are calling on ministers to scrap the wasteful 0.7 per cent spending commitment.
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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Firms repay furlough
There was some much needed good news for taxpayers after The Mail on Sunday revealed that thousands of businesses have paid back nearly half a billion pounds of furlough money. Journalist Helen Cahill reports, "HMRC data reveals 13,126 organisations had returned a total of £446.6 million as of February 18.
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Responding to the news, our chief executive John O'Connell expressed his delight, "It's great to see that many thousands of firms are returning furlough funds. Ultimately this is taxpayers' money and only intended for those that really needed it. These businesses are a good example of what is needed to help rebuild the public finances. Taxpayers will remember the companies that pulled out all the stops and those that didn't."
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Councils are cashing in
As I wrote last week, council tax rises have been particularly severe this year. But analysis from The Mail on Sunday has further exposed how bad the situation is. The average band D bill in England is now £1,898. Of the 147 local authorities that were permitted to increase council tax by the maximum of 4.99 per cent, 89 (61 per cent) did so.
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Speaking to reporter Michael Powell, I voiced my anger at the current state of affairs, "Taxpayers are sick to the back teeth of unfair inflation-busting council tax rises. Many households are suffering huge financial losses due to the pandemic. Adding insult to injury, local authorities have now hammered them with even bigger bills. Councils must make every penny count in order to stop these hikes and ease the tax burden on millions of Brits."
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Out-of-control convicts
The Express has disclosed that damage to Scottish jails by prisoners is on the increase. A freedom of information requests shows that "unruly inmates caused almost £750,000-worth of damage" in recent years. These figures come after the Scottish government spent £2.7 million on mobile phones for every prisoner last year.
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As I told journalist Paula Murray this is simply unacceptable, "The authorities should come down like a tonne of bricks on these out of control convicts. Justice and rehabilitation aren't cheap but Scottish taxpayers can't afford to see a single penny of their hard-earned cash go down the drain. Ministers must get a grip on the situation."
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Stop public sector golden goodbyes
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After years of campaigning by the TPA a limit of £95,000 was imposed on "golden goodbyes" for public sector staff back in November. But Whitehall mandarins and union bosses managed to get it overturned.
If you haven't done so already please sign our petition and tell the government to reintroduce the cap.
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The TPA is telling ministers they must commit to bringing back this cap and ensure taxpayers aren't fleeced again by pampered public sector bosses. Make your voice heard!
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Inflation is the ultimate stealth tax
Since the Bank of England gained independence in 1997, inflation has been low and stable - as such it rarely features in the political debate. But as I write this week there is concern that rising inflation could act as a stealth tax on unsuspecting consumers - especially now that chancellor Rishi Sunak has frozen personal allowance thresholds until 2026.
I spoke to TaxPayers’ Alliance chairman and former Treasury economist, Mike Denham, to discuss inflation and the unseen (potentially devastating) effects it can have on a nation’s economy.
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Drawing from his Treasury experience in the 1970s and 80s Mike makes clear that were inflation to surge, getting it under control again is, "massively difficult. There is no simple switch you can throw. In the 1980s, the government brought it under control by ramping up interest rates, gradually reducing the money supply and amount of debt in the economy; all coupled with tightened fiscal policy." Click here to read more about why inflation is a stealth tax.
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Going off the rails
There was yet more bad news for taxpayers in Edinburgh after it was revealed they footed a £2 million council legal bill. A tram project for the city cost the public a colossal £776 million - the original budget was 'only' £375 million.
An inquiry was launched and the subsequent legal costs were kept secret from taxpayers. Eventually, the Scottish Information Commissioner stepped in and Edinburgh City Council was forced to reveal the large legal bill.
The TPA has reported on this project many times. From day one it has been a disaster. We will keep the pressure on and ensure that taxpayers get better use of their hard-earned cash.
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Harry Fone
Grassroots Campaign Manager
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