Following from the government's announcement that they will review the public sector pay cap ahead of the Autumn Budget, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It would be a grave error for the government to completely abandon prudence with public sector pay when the nation’s finances are in such a... Read more...
Following the government's announcement that they have agreed a "Confidence & Supply Agreement" with the Democratic Unionist Party, Alex Wild, Research Director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Taxpayers resent politicians cooking up deals behind closed doors that invariably end with their cash being thrown wherever is politically advantageous rather than where it could... Read more...
Responding to the SNP manifesto, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Anyone listening to Nicola Sturgeon today would be forgiven for thinking there was a magic money tree waiting to be shaken to fund this manifesto. Scotland's finances have been in a dire state because of its... Read more...
Responding to Labour's manifesto, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: This entire manifesto is based on the clearly absurd belief that businesses can be repeatedly hammered with massive tax increases and crippled with regulation without any wider impact on the economy, jobs and investment. If even a handful... Read more...
Responding to Labour's proposals for increased taxes on financial transactions, Alex Wild, Research Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "When politicians say things that sound too good to be true, invariably they are just that. The idea that vast sums can be raised simply by 'clamping down' on tax avoidance is... Read more...
Reacting to Labour's leaked draft manifesto, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:"This manifesto is a toxic mix of nationalisations, interventions and monumental tax hikes. A 1970s-style agenda would be a disaster for the country and the parties should instead be offering up policies that get the economy in shape to compete... Read more...
Reacting to the Conservatives' proposal to cap energy prices, Alex Wild, Research Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "One of the Prime Minister’s first acts on moving in to Downing Street was signing up to the most expensive conventional power station anywhere in the world at Hinckley Point, so her new found... Read more...
Key findings of analysis of Labour's tax proposals: VAT The VAT lock is specified as applying to the standard rate. It says nothing of exempt or zero-rated goods and services, for example insurance, foods, medicines, building supplies This would also leave room for increasing the 5 per cent rate on... Read more...
Reacting to Labour's pledge to reverse cuts to Capital Gains Tax, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:"This is yet another example of politicians making policy on the hoof, promising more money by hiking taxes. In any case, all the evidence shows that cutting CGT has positive effects for the broader economy. If... Read more...
Reacting to Theresa May refusing to rule out tax rises if the Conservatives win the general election, Dia Chakravarty, Political Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It is deeply concerning that Mrs May is not ruling out the possibility of tax rises on an already highly taxed population. After decades... Read more...
Sadiq Khan right to take taxpayers off hook for Garden Bridge, says TaxPayers' Alliance Reacting to Sadiq Khan's announcement that he is pulling taxpayer support for the Garden Bridge, John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "It is good news that Sadiq Khan has seen sense and taken... Read more...
Responding to Theresa May's announcement that the UK will continue to spend 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, says: "The 0.7% foreign aid target is totally arbitrary and meaningless and it is disappointing that the Prime Minister has refused to see sense... Read more...