Embargoed 22:00 Wednesday 3 June The economic fallout of coronavirus could dwarf the great recession. To maximise the chances of bouncing back, there should be no taxpayer austerity. Former secretary of state for trade and industry Lord Lilley has welcomed an ambitious package of supply side reforms from the TaxPayers’ Alliance.... Read more...
Embargoed 00:01 Thursday 28 May At a time of student anger over poor value for money, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) today reveals that 29 British universities (roughly 1 in 5) spent £702,057 on vehicles for vice-chancellors or their equivalents between 2016 and 2019. Some of the vice-chancellors provided with cars received total annual... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to the Office for National Statistics' release of the public sector finance statistics for April, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Government borrowing is now breaking records thanks to this crisis, with this being the largest proportionate annual increase in debt since D-Day.... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Sunday 17 May 2020 Responding to the report by the Public Accounts Committee on High Speed 2 (HS2), Harry Fone grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "Grossly overpaid HS2 bosses are taking the public for a ride, refusing to take responsibility and ultimately being... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to reports of tax hikes as part of the coronavirus recovery plan, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "The government has a tough job on its hands in repairing the public finances, but increasing a 50-year high tax burden should not be a... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Thursday 7 May 2020 On the day that many voters should have been going to the polls for local elections, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) has compiled council tax data into an interactive heat map to highlight the severity of rate rises. Nearly every council in Great Britain increased... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to today's announcement of new bounce back loans, Duncan Simpson, research director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "With UK loans lagging behind Swiss and German schemes, the chancellor is right to heed our advice to streamline the support and open up emergency cash to the small firms who... Read more...
Embargoed 00:01 Monday 27 April New analysis from the TaxPayers’ Alliance has revealed that the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme (CBILS) is falling behind similar schemes in other European countries, in part due to overly complex requirements. The scheme should be streamlined, with fines and prison time for those that cheat the system.As... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to the news that councils in England will receive an additional £1.6 billion in central government funding, Harry Fone, grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: "While emergency cash may be needed, local authorities should be held to account for how they are spending the... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Wednesday 15 April As the country continues to battle the coronavirus crisis, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has called for council tax to be frozen and local authority spending to be focused on frontline health and social care services. But as residents of every council in the UK... Read more...
Embargoed 00:01 Sunday 12 April Research from the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) shows that since 2014 Whitehall departments have spent £15,383,904 of taxpayers' money on environmentally damaging waste.Freedom of information requests from last year, before the coronavirus crisis, reveal regular practices of unnecessarily using heating during the summer months, and taking taxis... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to the BBC's suggestion that a broadband tax could be introduced, James Roberts, political director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "With the nation stuck at home, making use of our broadband, the Beeb's spotted an opportunity to slap a TV tax on the internet. "Not... Read more...
For immediate release Today, the TaxPayers' Alliance lays out three bold new policies to build on the extraordinary but justifable government response to the coronavirus.In a statement from our chairman and chief executive, the TaxPayers' Alliance has responded to the intervention undertaken by the government to tackle the Covid-19... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to the announcement that the BBC will delay the abolition of free licence fees for the over 75s, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:“Pensioners will breathe a sigh of relief that they won’t now be hit by the terrible TV tax during... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to today's budget, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:“The only thing this budget is getting done is net borrowing figures being spun. “While there were some welcome wins on measures like the freezing of alcohol and fuel duties, this was basically a Gordon... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Sunday 08 March Ahead of next week's Budget, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) has been pushing for plans to align national insurance and income tax, streamlining the tax system and saving workers hundreds of pounds each year.The Conservatives have committed to increasing the national insurance threshold to £9,500 this April, with the... Read more...
For immediate release With council tax bills in England set to rise by nearly £65 in 2020/21, Harry Fone, grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "Councils may be pleading poverty, but the fact is that ratepayers’ money is still being wasted hand over fist. "Bills are constantly going... Read more...
For immediate release As the new Chancellor puts the finishing touches to his first Budget, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) has released a new tool to help those wanting to lower taxes. The TPA tool allows politicians, commentators, journalists and over-burdened taxpayers the chance to play Chancellor with the click of a... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Friday 21 February TaxPayers' Alliance analysis of a sample of government newspaper purchases has revealed that the Financial Times was the paper of choice for the Department for Exiting the European Union during the period of major Brexit deadlock.While they had a total of 101 subscriptions to the Financial Times, which opposed the core... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Wednesday 19 February New analysis from the TaxPayers' Alliance reveals how ministers, officials and quangocrats are wasting taxpayers' cash funding organisations that lobby the government. From 2017-19, organisations that lobby for changes in public policy received at least £39,584,172. Taxpayer money being used to fund political campaign... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to confirmation that the government will proceed with HS2, Harry Fone, grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "This announcement is a massive blow to the taxpayers of today and tomorrow who will be left paying for the HS2 white elephant with no light at... Read more...
For immediate release Responding to reports the government has decided to proceed with HS2, Harry Fone grassroots campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "This announcement is a massive blow to the taxpayers of today and tomorrow who will be left paying for the HS2 white elephant with no light... Read more...
For immediate release On the eve of the government's decision on the future of HS2, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) has warned the prime minister that the project is likely to come off the rails. In a personal letter to the PM, TPA chief executive John O'Connell lays out that the eventual... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 Thursday 30 January Public appointments in 2018-19: 47.4 per cent of declarations of political activity were for the Labour Party, compared to 31.6 per cent for the Conservatives. The south of England (including the South West, South East and London regions) was the principal residence for over 40... Read more...