Tough times demand radical action. Unprecedented bank bail outs, extraordinary financial stimulus andhistoric electoral change have defined these past few months, as countries across the world scramble to deal with the fall out from the financial crisis. Now it is the EU's turn to be bold. In a radical... Read more...
Unemployment up today, 5,000+ jobs lost yesterday and yet 698 jobs within government advertised today. Today’s non-job comes from Cheshire East Council: “Head of Policy and Performance£81,000 Can you take us to the next level? This is an opportunity for you to have a significant impact -... Read more...
On Tuesday ConservativeHome reported that Douglas Carswell is pushing, in parliament, for elected 'justice commissioners' (you can call them sheriffs for short). This is a great idea. It can be tempting to look at this sort of proposal and think "I don't want a vote, I want the police... Read more...
Iain Dale has got it bang on over on his blog regarding the newly proposed Regional Select Committees. The idea, which is to have a Select Committee to oversee each Regional Development Agency, would certainly mean the quangos were slightly more accountable, but frankly the most democratic option would be... Read more...
Defence Secretary John Hutton took part in an interview on the Today Programme this morning that I personally found pretty outrageous, particularly given that like many members of my generation I have a decent number of friends either in, recently in or about to go to Afghanistan or Iraq. ... Read more...
While the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) welcomes any plan to reduce the burden on British businesses or ordinary taxpayers, the plans announced by the Conservatives today are disappointing. The TPA today publishes a response to the plans that details why they are too timid, too complex and poorly targeted and suggests... Read more...
Yesterday we were contacted by Mike Casey of Your Thurrock – a superb grassroots new media current affairs website – with the surprise that yet another chief executive has left Thurrock council. What repercussions will this have for Thurrock’s taxpayers? It doesn’t look good considering the soaring salaries chief executives... Read more...
After last week’s Food Policy Officer non-job of the week, here’s another food related story that’ll do more harm to your health than a fry-up. Council health chiefs in Guildford have forced through a policy compelling burger vans and cafés to provide ‘healthy alternatives’. Yes, that’s right, because everyone goes... Read more...
The one-day Advantage West Midlands conference cost taxpayers £118,000 last year, so this year the TPA were in attendance to see exactly how our Regional Development Agency spent this sort of cash, and whether any of it really represents value for money. We actually arrived to find that AWM... Read more...
This is rather ridiculous: "Gary Rostron, 34, a care worker, claims the bin was knocked over after he left it out for collection in March. Officials at Blackburn with Darwen Council disagreed. They issued him with a £60 fixed penalty notice for "incorrectly placing rubbish bags beside a collecting... Read more...
I'm pleased to report the TPA had an excellent action day on Saturday in Tynemouth, North Tyneside. Thanks to an eager band of supporters who gave up a couple of hours of their time, we blitzed Tynemouth Market to great effect. Until we were thrown out by an overzealous (and... Read more...
We must wait to see the details to discover exactly how good the different parties' tax cut proposals are. There are a number of ways in which the plans can vary: 1) Targeting. Are we talking about tax cuts across the board, or cuts aimed at particular activities or... Read more...
Whilst the financial crisis and recession are worrying news for all of us, there are a few rays of light. One of them is that all parties are now signed up to cutting taxes – we look forward to seeing the details. This political shift may have come partly from... Read more...
Last Friday I was invited to a Question Time panel at Nottingham University, much similar to the recent event held at the University of East Anglia two weeks ago. This time we were joined by Roger Helmer MEP, a strong supporter of lower taxes and small government. Again it was... Read more...
In the 21st century police, the best way to deal with having too much management claptrap is to boldly sweep it away and replace it with even more management claptrap, dressed up as accountability. Roger Baker, the Chief Constable of Essex Police, this week won plaudits from some quarters... Read more...
In a speech to the Hansard society on Wednesday, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears MP, took the opportunity to attack political blogging. She claimed that bloggers are fueling political cynicism, encouraging a general disengagement from the political system. Understandably, at... Read more...
Last Friday the TPA was out in St Albans collecting signatures for a petition to lower council tax. Thankfully some good weather made it a great day for all, with people queuing at times to sign our petition. We had... Read more...
Tis almost the season to be jolly…but only if you’re a senior council officer at East Riding council up in Yorkshire. East Riding council wants to pay its senior officers up to £12,000 more per year, taking the money out of the taxpayer’s pockets and putting it in the bureaucrats’... Read more...
Nanny needs help in Bristol. Whet your appetite at our non-job of the week: “Food Policy Officer£30,598 - £33,291 Passionate about the future of food? This is an exciting opportunity to shape food policy in Bristol, working on behalf of Bristol City Council and Bristol Primary Care Trust.... Read more...
On Friday I went up to the University of East Anglia to take part in a Question Time event hosted by the University of East Anglia Conservatives which was an open event to all students. With a packed room – even on Halloween – the audience fired very challenging questions... Read more...
The German Government are apparently threatening to veto an EU Commission proposal to extend member states' rights to reduce VAT on a variety of services (yes, you really do need unanimous EU permission to cut taxes on haircuts). The fact that we have sacrificed our right to set our... Read more...
It was reported last week that North Somerset Council invested £3 million two months after it had been warned that Landsbanki was not on sound financial footing. Yes, afterwards. You may think this is inexcusable, but NSC would like you to think again. Finance Director Phil Hall keeps saying... Read more...
On Friday I joined Peter Roberts of the Drivers’ Alliance and Sean Corker of MART (Manchester Against Road Tolls) to campaign against the Manchester congestion charge in the run-up to the 11th December referendum. Read more...
The British Government has announced new plans to ensure hate preachers will be kept out of Britain. From now on it will be for the radicals to prove they are not a threat to Britain. Currently, the Government has to prove they are a threat. This announcement is a little... Read more...