At the COP27 summit this week, demands were made for countries like the UK to cough up cash to less developed countries. While Rishi appears to have ruled out âreparationsâ, the door has been left open for âloss and damageâ payments to be bumped up. The idea that hard pressed Brits, dealing with a cost of living crisis and with tax hikes on the horizon, should now stump up caused outrage!Â
Our chief executive, John OâConnell, gave our reaction to Daily Express readers. John blasted the proposals, rightly pointing out that taxpayers will be furious at the PM for making âmore grandiose green pledges while public finances are in the red.â
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TPA investigations manager, Elliot Keck, took to GB News to call out the latest claims on taxpayer cash: âweâre looking at a potential freezing of income tax thresholds, thatâs going to cause enormous damage to people over the next couple of years. And if theyâre told that part of that is being used to fund conservation in the Congo basin, I think that really takes the biscuit.â Hear hear!
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This is one of the reasons why weâve launched a petition to stop the government dishing out even more of your cash through the foreign aid budget. Make your voice heard loud and clear in Downing Street by signing the petition!
John also took our message directly to Tory MPs on Tuesday when he addressed members of the 1922 foreign policy committee. He reiterated that taxpayers donât expect their money to be handed out overseas whilst being asked to pay higher taxes.
With no end to the demands for more of your money, we need your help today to keep fighting. Click here to support the TPA!
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The wacky, the woke, and the wasteful
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With an ongoing row about the Arts Council diverting funds from the London-based English National Opera to more regional projects, the latest TPA investigation took a closer look at how the Arts Council spends your money.
Having spent hours poring over spreadsheets, Elliot was shocked by what he found.
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Setting aside the mega ÂŁ1.34 billion itâll dole out over the next three years, the arts council have some serious questions to answer over which groups theyâve chosen for taxpayers to fund.
In The Daily Telegraph, which used our comments in their headline, Elliot raged against this disgraceful use of taxpayersâ money: âTaxpayers around the country are fed up with seeing their hard-earned cash wasted on cultural claptrap.â
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Itâs clear that if they canât get their act together, itâs time to bring the curtain down on the Arts Council.
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Weâve recently released our latest annual review which showcases all of the work weâve done over the past 12 months.
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Weâve been busy taking our message right across the country, campaigning on the issues that matter to you. Have a read here.
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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With the fiscal statement looming, TPA spokesmen were in high demand from the newspapers this week on all things tax and spend.
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Tory tax rises
With yet more tax hikes and threshold freezes being touted, TPA chief economist Duncan Simpson, didnât hesitate in slapping down the latest lunacy.
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Duncan railed against proposals to freeze tax thresholds (yet another stealth tax rise) branding them a "bitter blow"Â for taxpayers struggling with the cost of living.
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Whitehall wellness
New figures have been uncovered showing government departments have spent almost ÂŁ500,000 on âwellnessâ apps for civil servants.
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John told Sir Humphrey some home truths in The Daily Telegraph saying: âIt will come as no relief to working households that civil servants are in a Zen state while precious resources are being wasted.â
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Civil strikers
Clearly, wellness apps arenât enough to keep civil servants at their desks. Mandarins may have voted for strike action, but in a rapid reaction quote John was quick to point out that they shouldnât expect sympathy from the taxpayers who pay their wages.
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In remarks covered in the national media, he rightly pointed out that âbureaucrats already benefit from generous pay packets and plush pensions, with job perks and work from home privileges that many Brits can only dream of.â
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Higher alcohol taxes would be a bitter price to pay
With the 50th edition of the Good Beer Guide being released at the end of October, Iâve taken a look at how the price of a pint has changed over the years.Â
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Whilst many of us probably think we pay enough already, sadly, the chancellor feels differently. Hiking the price of the humble pint wonât just hit our wallets, it could hammer an industry still trying to get back on its feet post covid. Click here to read the blog.
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Councils are notorious for questionable spending but this week, a TPA investigation revealed a real stinker.
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In an exclusive with the Daily Star newspaper, we exposed how town halls across the country have flushed over ÂŁ850,000 down the loo on air fresheners. Despite being supposedly âcash strappedâ, councils keen to cover up the stench of wasted money arenât fooling anybody.
Let me know if your council is wasting any cash.
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Benjamin Elks
Fundraising, Operations, and Events assistant
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