Commenting on the government's announcement that the NHS will receive a significant boost in funding, John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Spending more on healthcare isn't in and of itself a bad thing, and after the EU referendum voters expected more money for the NHS. But another short... Read more...
The TaxPayers’ Alliance today releases analysis of teachers’ pay increases that counter unions’ calls for salary increases. The analysis shows: Teachers’ average salaries are £38,400 a year, considerably higher than the UK average of £28,600. Leading teachers can earn more than £67,300 a year. Education has seen a huge increase... Read more...
Responding to the news that the government has backed a third runway at Heathrow, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The government finally making progress on big policy decisions like the Heathrow third runway is good news for the economy and for taxpayers. This announcement hopefully heralds the... Read more...
Commenting on the news that the government is going to sell another tranche of shares in RBS, James Price, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "The state has no business permanently owning shares in a bank, regardless of the current share price. Arguments for keeping these shares in public ownership... Read more...
For immediate release Commenting on the calls for even-higher taxes for the NHS, James Price, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “If the government wants more money for the NHS, it should demand an end to wasteful spending practices and call for new technologies to be embraced. The NHS is... Read more...
A new report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance details the enormous savings to British taxpayers by legalising cannabis. The UK could save at least £891.72 million a year in reduced spending by police, prisons, courts and the NHS through pain relief treatments. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PAPER. Key findings NHS... Read more...
London Met Police spent nearly £5 million on premium flights The results of a Freedom of Information request by the TaxPayers’ Alliance has revealed shocking levels of spending on premium flights by the Met police. Between 2015 and 2018, the London Metropolitan Police force spent £8,577,748 on flights. The Metropolitan... Read more...
A new report released by the TaxPayers’ Alliance today has revealed the shocking cost of poor productivity in Britain and its impact on wages. Since the great recession, advanced economies have all been suffering from weak productivity growth, with few more afflicted than Britain’s. The scale of the issue is enormous, and... Read more...
A new report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows that the NHS could save nearly £800 million by merging various NHS management bodies.The report advocates reducing the number of quangos from 19 to 7: This would save approximately £760 million. This would also release top managerial time to improve efficiencies in... Read more...
For immediate release Earmarking taxes for the NHS is "either smoke and mirrors or dreadful policy", says TaxPayers' Alliance Responding to findings from the British Social Attitudes suggesting support for a hypothecated 'NHS tax' Alex Wild, Research Director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:“Health spending is already running at £425 million per day and the... Read more...
Commenting on the announcement that Labour will make bus travel free for the under 25's, John O’Connell, chief executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:"Bus subsidies already run into the billions, costing each household £80 a year. Why on earth should 25 year old taxpayers on minimum wage subsidise 24 year-old bankers to... Read more...
Embargoed: 00:01 - 11th April 2018 In 2016-17: There were at least 2,306 council employees who received total remuneration in excess of £100,000. This is 60 fewer than the previous year. 558 council employees received remuneration in excess of £150,000. There were 77 councils with at least 10 employees who received remuneration in excess of £100,000. Birmingham had three employees who received remuneration in excess of... Read more...
Responding to yet more rumours of a hypothecated 'NHS tax' by increasing national insurance, Alex Wild, Research Director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:“For all the government’s spin about cutting taxes, they’ve quietly been ramping them up to levels that Gordon Brown could only dream of. It’s no wonder growth is so weak when work and... Read more...
For Immediate Release Phillip Hammond is right to caution against wasteful spending Responding to the chancellor's Spring Statement today, John O’Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:"The chancellor is to be commended for resisting irresponsible calls from across the political spectrum to turn on the spending taps for the time... Read more...
Responding to Labour’s call to renationalise the entire energy sector, John O’Connell, Chief Executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Whatever Jeremy Corbyn says about putting people in control, the reality is that politicians and union barons would be running the show and making a complete hash of it, just as they did in the 1970's. The... Read more...
Embargoed until 00:01 Thursday February 8th Responding to the survey conducted by the Local Government Information Unit think tank and The Municipal Journal on Council Tax, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “Council Tax has increased by 60% since 1998 and while local politicians complain that their budgets are... Read more...
Commenting on the news today that Carillion has gone into liquidation, John O'Connell, Chief Executive at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:Despite the extremely well publicised financial difficulties Carillion has been experiencing in recent months, the government continued to award it contracts, disregarding its own risk management policies in the process. Some of the most... Read more...
New research from the TaxPayers’ Alliance shows that council tax has increased by 57 per cent in real terms over the past twenty years, and that there have been 15 increases for every cut.This research tracks whether council tax was raised, frozen or cut over the past two decades, with full... Read more...
Taxpayers will fork out £6.3 billion in Christmas taxes this year As millions of Brits hit the shops today, research shows how the treasury rakes in billions in Christmas taxes These taxes add an extra 18% to the cost of Christmas, as the taxman squeezes every penny from families This Christmas, a UK... Read more...
Nanny state approved Christmas lunch This year Public Health England has spent over £40 million of taxpayers money telling Brits what they can and cannot eat, drink and do in their leisure time. Using these warnings and guidelines, the TaxPayers' Alliance has calculated what a public health puritan approved Christmas lunch would look like. Following... Read more...
NHS prescribing biscuits, pasta and shampoo As the NHS struggles to meet emergency care and diagnosis targets this winter, the TaxPayers' Alliance have revealed that many doctors are prescribing patients with basic items such as gluten-free biscuits, pasta and anti-dandruff shampoo.Many of these items, which have been prescribed by GPs in England, are already... Read more...
As the debate around 'renationalising' the railways continues, and rail fares are due to increase yet again, a new report from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows that privatisation has actually been a good thing for commuters in the UK. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PAPER. Despite claims about how poor... Read more...
Responding to the announcement that the cap on council tax raising powers is to be lifted by 1 per cent, John O’Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: "With wage growth stagnating and the cost of living on the rise, it beggars belief that politicians are asking for powers to take even... Read more...
TPA: 'Scrap HS2 to pay for Brexit Bill' Responding to reports that Britain is set to pay a Brexit Bill, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “While it's good news that there is progress in negotiations with the EU, we have to remember that this bill will be paid for... Read more...