Throughout our 18 year history, the TaxPayers' Alliance has consistently called out the often shocking use of public cash by local authorities. But it's not just golden goodbyes for council fat cats and pet projects where money is wasted. Local residents are seeing their hard-earned cash squandered on hideous public artwork.
Our research has found that local authorities alone spent almost £15 million on art since 2019!
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With this in mind, we've selected some of the most questionable displays for a competition to decide Britain's worst council art!
We launched the competition with a trip to Nuneaton in Warwickshire where the council spent £350,000 on 7 'structures'. One of which is called Weave and has done little to impress local residents.
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So let us know which you think is the worst? Click here to place your vote and we'll crown the winner (or maybe that should be the loser) on Friday 2nd September.
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TPA Talks with Madsen Pirie
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For our latest episode of TPA Talks we had the immense pleasure of speaking to the president and co-founder of the Adam Smith Institute, Madsen Pirie. From think-tank pioneer to children's author, his remarkable career takes centre stage for this conversation.
Speaking to our chief executive John O'Connell they discuss the formation of the ASI, Maden's influence on the Thatcher era, the similarities between the 1970s and the 2020s, and how free marketeers can tell better stories in an age of interventionism.
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Drawing on his vast wealth of knowledge, Madsen's comments on why corporation tax cuts need not be inflationary are particularly inciteful. Don't miss this must-see episode!
Please subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss an episode of TPA Talks. If you prefer audio-only, TPA Talks is available as a podcast on several outlets:
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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NHS still wasting money on 'wokery'
The Daily Mail has found "five adverts for senior equality roles at trusts across England" offering pay of up to £76,000! Adding insult to injury for taxpayers, some of the roles actively encourage successful applicants to work from home.
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Taking a much-needed stand against this wokery our chief executive John O'Connell told Daily Mail readers, "Brits are sick of seeing taxes rise to pay for NHS diversity hires on bumper salaries. Taxpayers welcomed commitments to cut non-jobs in the health service, not least given the painful national insurance hike, and don’t expect bosses to continue pumping out these job ads."
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But we weren't done, as GBNews picked up the story and asked John to discuss the news on television.
Speaking to presenter Beverley Turner, John explained that £76,000 could pay for two nurses or a junior doctor and training for one year. Politicians need to get a grip and ensure these right-on roles are wound down. Click here to watch a clip from the interview.
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The grim legacy of stealth taxes
The Telegraph reports that one in every nine workers now pays the higher rate of income tax. As a result of a freeze in income tax thresholds and rampant inflation, many Brits have fallen foul of what economists term, "fiscal drag."Â
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Commenting on the news the TPA called for a better tax system, "These stealth hikes see hard-working taxpayers caught in higher tax brackets, without politicians ever needing to explain why they are whacking up taxes on people's incomes."
The higher tax rate is supposed to be for the best-paid workers in the country, but instead, it's fairly commonplace. That's why we're calling for a fairer and simpler tax system that would see thresholds rise with wage growth.
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Taxpayers sick of wasted cash
An internal review of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) shows that £2.4 million has been written off in lost income over the last four years. According to The i, "the losses cannot be recouped because it would be uneconomical to do so, or is not legal to do so."
Yet again this example raises serious questions about the efficiency of Britain's public sector.
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As John explained in his comments to readers, "Bloated bureaucracy has cost taxpayers dearly once again. As households across the country bear the brunt of a 70-year high tax burden, there can be no excuse for government agencies writing off millions of pounds."
We're making it clear to quangocrats that they have a responsibility to ramp up efficiencies and stop waste like this.
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Full throttle: Cutting fuel duty will boost the economy
Millions of households across the country are facing rising bills. Many of them rely on their cars to do the weekly shop, ferry the kids around and everything in between to ensure the smooth running of day-to-day life.Â
In recent weeks fuel prices have thankfully come down slightly. So I was interested to read a comment piece in The Sun calling on the Tory leadership candidates to cut fuel duty by 20 pence. It would certainly be welcomed by motorists at the pump - but what (if any) would the economic benefits be?Â
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Using our dynamic tax model, we’ve run the numbers and the results speak for themselves. Over 10 years Britain's GDP would be £17 billion greater and average weekly earnings would increase by £4. Put simply, we'd all be better off.
Our calculations generated so much interest that they also featured in The Sun and on TalkTV! This is why the government and indeed the next one should take heed - the benefits are clear for all to see! Click here to read more.
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Stop treating motorists as cash cows
Of course it isn't just fuel duty that hits motorists in their pockets. The Inverness Courier reports that Highland Council has " raked in more than £1.5 million" in parking fines in the last six years. It comes in the wake of the local authority introducing a scheme called Decriminalised Parking Enforcement and according to the local press has brought "in more and more money" every year.
Asked to comment on the findings the TaxPayers' Alliance stood up once again for Brits, telling readers, "Already over-taxed motorists will be furious at these figures. Parking fines are clearly a lucrative source of income but households haven't seen their council tax fall."
We're telling authorities not just in Scotland but across the nation to stop treating drivers as cash cows!
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Harry Fone
Grassroots Campaign Manager
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