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When the IMF released their latest growth expectations this week, we werenât surprised to see fiscal policy partly blamed for the UKâs downgrade. The combination of high spending and the seventy year high tax burden to pay for it, is one of the key factors the UK is now expected to be the only major economy to shrink this year.
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Whilst these predictions have proven somewhat pessimistic in recent years, itâs clear that the chancellor must do more to get a grip on the cost of government crisis. With inflation still running high, targeted tax cuts for businesses and households would be a real boon in these hard times.
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Our chief executive, John OâConnell, took to the airwaves and explained to Sky News viewers the importance of bringing the tax burden under control: âWe think the budget is the perfect time to be saying ... we've now got room to give businesses and taxpayers a bit of a break to boost economic growth.âÂ
There are still opportunities to go for growth, and weâll never stop standing up for taxpayers, calling out the governmentâs reckless spending and oppressive tax burden. Click here to donate to our campaign.
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Last week, the TPA team returned to Arundel where the district council plans to gamble almost half a million pounds of taxpayersâ money building their own B&B!
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With hundreds of residents having signed our letter to local councillors, our investigations campaign manager Elliot Keck gave us an update from the doorsteps of Arundel saying: âthis is a high risk, speculative investment that the council has absolutely no right to be making!â
If youâre a resident of Arundel or Walberton, click here to sign our letter.
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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A door fit for a lord
It emerged this week that the cost of a new door for the House of Lords has rocketed to a mega ÂŁ7 million!
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TPA researcher, Tom Ryan, spoke to the Daily Express slamming the shocking sums: âTaxpayers will be furious about this eye-watering bill. While Parliament will always need renovations, this bumper sum seems hard to justify.âÂ
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Bonuses for bankruptcy
A TPA investigation has revealed that Hampshire county council have doled out ÂŁ765,046 in bonuses to staff in a single year, despite claiming to be on the verge of bankruptcy.
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As Elliot explained to readers of the Hampshire Chronicle: âThese figures only add to the sense that the council has not got a grip on its spending.â Councils must get their spending in order before raiding the pockets of taxpayers.
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Taxpayers taken for a ride
Councils squandering cash seems to be like riding a bike - they never forget how to do it. Birmingham city council have seen fit to paint a âbizarreâ, seven foot cycle lane. Yes, seven foot!
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Tom told MailOnline readers âOpening up the road to cyclists is not a bad thing but taxpayers will see through this half-hearted effort.â
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Haringey council clanger
In this weekâs blog, our digital campaign manager, Joe Ventre, takes a look at the costly consultation conducted by Haringey council into changing the name of a local street.
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Whilst the council claimed the name needed to be changed due to the negative impact the supposedly offensive name was having on residents, as Joe explains â81 per cent of those who lived on the street itself were against the plan to rename the streetâ. Sadly, as always, itâs local taxpayers whoâll be picking up the six figure bill for a change they didnât even want. Click here to read the blog.
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At the beginning of January, we brought you the news that 90 per cent of new trees planted by some councils, at a cost of ÂŁ11 million, have since died.Â
Having already wasted almost ÂŁ50,000, Gloucester city council are doubling down and planting an additional 13,500 trees, to replace the ones that died when they failed to water them. Who doesnât love treesâŠbut, town hall bosses must show more respect for their residentâs money!
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Benjamin Elks
Operations Manager
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