Responding to news that ministers may be considering a sugar tax, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "A sugar tax would be deeply regressive and hit those on lower incomes the hardest. Rather than capitulate to the self-appointed High Priests of the Nanny State in the public... Read more...
Councils across the country are settling their budgets for next year. Many will have to reduce spending, after the Chancellor's Autumn Statement announced a real terms reduction in grants to local authorities. Some councils have already said that they are considering Council Tax hikes, but more should be done to bring spending... Read more...
The Welsh Assembly is soon to vote on the Public Heath Bill. One of the proposed measures is to impose a blanket ban on using e-cigarettes in workplaces, in both the public and private sectors. The National Assembly for Wales Finance Committee’s report into the Public Health Bill says that... Read more...
Responding to the report from the Health Committee, which calls for the introduction of a sugar tax, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "A sugar tax would be deeply regressive, hitting the poorest hardest and putting even greater pressure on family budgets. Politicians and the self-appointed High... Read more...
Reacting to the Autumn Statement and Spending Review, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "When public spending is going up year after year, how can anyone describe that as austerity? It's good news that the Chancellor intends to run a surplus by the end of the parliament.... Read more...
Rather than give in to misguided calls to ease up on spending restraint, the Chancellor must use this week's Spending Review to stay the course on deficit reduction and stick to the pre-election projections of public spending falling to 36.3% of GDP by the end of the Parliament, says the... Read more...
Commenting on today's borrowing figures, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "These dismal figures underline the dire need for the Chancellor to announce considerable savings at the Spending Review next week. A little over halfway through the year, the government has already borrowed more than £54 billion... Read more...
As part of The Public Sector Rich List, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) today publishes the most comprehensive list of employees in the state education sector who had total annual remuneration exceeding £100,000 in 2013-14. As funding from government to education institutions decreases, necessary savings are being made in line with... Read more...
As part of the Public Sector Rich List, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) today publishes the most comprehensive report detailing Police Service employees whose annual remuneration exceeded £100,000. A combination of Freedom of Information requests and analysis of Police Service annual statements of accounts has been used to produce this research.... Read more...
In it's second release as part of the Public Sector Rich List series, the TaxPayers' Alliance today reveals the full scale of senior pay in the NHS. We detail the GPs, dentists and senior managers in receipt of bumper pay deals, with a full regional survey of all those whose remuneration exceeds £100,000.Nobody... Read more...
The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) presents the ninth Town Hall Rich List, part of its most comprehensive Public Sector Rich List. Praised in the past by politicians on both sides of the House of Commons, it is the go-to guide for local government executive pay deals. It details the job titles, full remuneration... Read more...
Today's Public Accounts Committee report finds that DWP and HMRC overpaid benefit and tax credit claimants by £4.6 billion in 2013-14 because of fraud and error, and underpaid claimants by £1.6 billion.Responding, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "The welfare system is still dogged by complexity and the authorities are... Read more...
In response to George Osborne’s plans to given councils full control of business rates Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Devolving business rates to local councils in England is great news for taxpayers and the Chancellor is to be congratulated on this bold and positive move. Civic leaders... Read more...
Responding to the Opposition Leader's speech, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: After the criticisms Ed Miliband faced last year, it beggars belief that Jeremy Corbyn did not see it fit to mention either the national debt or the deficit once in his Conference speech. Nor did... Read more...
Reacting to the Shadow Chancellor's announcement this morning that Labour would consider backing the so called "Robin Hood Tax", Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It’s unbelievable that the shadow chancellor is clinging to this damaging and discredited idea. Contrary to what high-tax campaigners claim, this isn’t... Read more...
For the first time, the TaxPayers' Alliance can reveal the scale of the taxpayer-funded subsidy given to Trade Unions through "facility time". Among the key findings from the TaxPayers' Alliance investigation, via Freedom of Information Requests to all government departments, public sector organisations and "arms length" bodies, are: Northern Ireland... Read more...
Responding to reports of falling deficit, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "A falling deficit is welcome news, but progress continues to be painfully slow. What’s particularly concerning is that the government had to borrow considerably more than the market was expecting at a time when demand... Read more...
The TaxPayers' Alliance today reveals the real cost to families of the 5p mandatory charge for plastic bags which few realise will come into effect in less than a month's time. The charge - which all large retailers will be obliged to add to our shopping bills from 5th October - will add... Read more...
Responding to the announcement by IPSA that 26 MPs and former MPs owe varying amounts of money to the taxpayer, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "These MPs and former MPs today named as owing money to IPSA must repay their debts immediately. The lesson of the... Read more...
New research by the TaxPayers' Alliance, conducted via Freedom of Information Requests to all public bodies in the country, has revealed that the government owns at least £3.5 billion worth of artwork - yet only 3 per cent of the work is on display. Much of this art may have... Read more...
New research from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows that the European Commission has spent nearly £2.4 million on grants towards video game development in 2014 alone, the first year of the new "Creative Europe" programme. The most recent EU budget saw Britain contribute 11.4 per cent of total EU funds. No... Read more...
New research from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows that the European Commission has spent nearly £10 million on grants to TV productions in 2014 alone, the first year of the new "Creative Europe programme. The most recent EU budget saw Britain contribute 11.4 per cent of total EU funds. No detail... Read more...
Responding to the announcement of new appointees to the House of Lords, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "David Cameron promised to cut the cost of politics, but with this additional phalanx of peers appointed to an already overcrowded House of Lords, taxpayers are entitled to question... Read more...
A new briefing note published today by the TaxPayers' Alliance suggests that those bemoaning the "loss" made on the first sale of RBS shares are missing the point. With RBS' balance sheet significantly deleveraged and the capital position much stronger than it was seven years ago, it is the right... Read more...