After more than two and a half years as the TPA’s Campaign Director, this is my last day – I’m moving on, as they say, to pastures new. I’ve had a fantastic time with the organisation, which has been more varied, more exciting and more hectic than I could ever have anticipated.
In that time, we’ve taken the lead on issues of national importance like MPs’ expenses and the bank bailout, engaged and rebutted all sorts of crazy schemes that would have cost taxpayers a fortune and – most importantly – turned the tide of spend, spend, spend. It’s hard to imagine that although the TPA is only six years old, the recent General Election saw our policies featuring in the manifestos of all three main parties, the recent Emergency Budget contains numerous ideas for spending cuts and public reform that we proposed and it is now an eccentric fringe position to deny that taxes and spending are too high. I and everyone else involved can be very proud that despite being a small organisation we are now literally saving taxpayers billions of pounds.
It’s been a great privilege to be the TPA’s spokesman during such an exciting period. Where else would a 25-year-old get the opportunity to do Newsnight with Paxman or debate with a Cabinet Minister on the Today Programme? The experience of working with such an enthusiastic, energetic team of like-minded people has been an absolute blast throughout – and I pay tribute to the great work done by each and every one of my colleagues, who I can now count as friends for life as well as comrades in the struggle for a better Britain.
We’ve certainly worked hard over the last few years – I looked back over our performance statistics the other day and worked out that since I arrived at the TPA in November 2007, we have run up over 15,000 media hits, a truly remarkable achievement. Whilst there’s certainly sweat of my brow that has gone into that, it could not have been done without the great leadership, excellent research, wonderful support and – crucially – elbow grease put in by the whole TPA team.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about working at the TPA has been that whilst we are based in Westminster, and often deal with technical issues of economics and public finance, the organisation has remained firmly rooted in the real world thanks to our grassroots network. The army of almost 60,000 people across the country who write letters, hold protests, dish out leaflets, run branches and highlight waste are essential to our work, and dealing with our supporters has been a refreshing and enjoyable experience.
Given how much fun it has been, I am of course sad to be moving on. I don’t imagine that there is any workplace or team in the world that is quite like the TPA. However, I’m also excited to be taking on new challenges, and a new role, elsewhere. I will of course remain involved with the TPA as an active supporter, and I am also launching today my own website at www.crashbangwallace.com to continue to produce political comment and news stories in a personal capacity.
To everyone who has made the last two and a half years so enjoyable and instructive, thank you. We have made a huge difference to the country already – and I’m sure the TPA will go on to achieve even more.