Local authorities spend nearly £15 million subsidising unions, TPA reveals 371 local authority staff members who worked for trade unions at least 50 per cent of the time The total amount spent on "facility time" by local authorities was at least £14,666,610.42 This would be enough to fix 276,728 potholes... Read more...
Responding to the Budget statement given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "The Chancellor announced some welcome upward revisions to growth forecasts and set out a quicker pace of deficit reduction than at the Autumn Statement. That represents good progress, and... Read more...
Insurance Premium Tax has doubled over the last 18 months Three consecutive rises have brought the rate to 10 per cent TaxPayers' Alliance calls on Chancellor to reject another hike at next week's Budget - and instead cut it to give taxpayers a break In the light of recent... Read more...
Responding to the news that the Government is looking for new spending cuts of up to 6%, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "For all the talk of fixing roofs and tough decisions, the public finances remain in a woeful state and the national debt continues to... Read more...
Campaign group says that revaluations should be automated and carried out annually to avoid big, unexpected tax hikes Heathrow airport had the biggest business rate bill in 2016-17 of almost £120 million, with Sellafield in Cumbria next on the list with £32 million The recent storm over business rates centres... Read more...
Responding to the news that Royal Bank of Scotland has announced its ninth consecutive multi-billion pound loss, Alex Wild, Research Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Every day the government holds on to these shares they are risking further losses. Some ridiculed the previous chancellor for crystalising a £1 billion... Read more...
Research by the TaxPayers' Alliance shows government-managed large infrastructure projects have a poor record of being delivered on budget, with some projects overrunning by up to 190 per cent. Despite the Government’s insistence that HS2 will be delivered on budget, taxpayers should take no comfort given their appalling track record... Read more...
As HS2 clears its final hurdle in Parliament on Monday, new polling has discovered that 84 per cent of the general public don't believe HS2 will benefit them personally, while 80 per cent don't believe the project will be delivered on budget. On Monday, MPs are debating the Lords' amendments... Read more...
TaxPayers' Alliance welcomes Surrey County Council's decision to back down from a 15% Council Tax hike Decision means it is unlikely there will be referendum on the astronomical tax increase But the proposed budget still seeks a 4.99% Council Tax hike - just below the threshold for triggering a vote... Read more...
As Peers prepare to debate the HS2 Bill during its Third Reading tomorrow, the TaxPayers’ Alliance lit up Piccadilly Circus with a call to stop the failing project once and for all. Lord Framlingham tabled the "fatal amendment" on the HS2 Bill before it goes for its Third Reading tomorrow... Read more...
Lord Framlingham has today tabled a "fatal amendment" on the HS2 Bill before it goes for its Third Reading next week, as he seeks to block this thoroughly wasteful vanity project. This is another opportunity to stop the HS2 Bill in its tracks - and as such it serves to... Read more...
Responding to the news that ministers have approved a 6 per cent rise in council tax to fund social care, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "A 6 per cent Council Tax rise will put unimaginable pressure on already struggling families without providing any real solution to... Read more...