As part of our ongoing campaign to take the TPA's message direct to politicians, the team will be in Manchester next week to campaign at the Tory Party Conference. We'll be holding four events of our own, speaking at seven events organised by other groups and running a stall where people can join the TPA and get freebies. Here are the details:
Come visit the TPA stand at the Freedom Zone!
We will have a stand at the Westminster Village Fete at the Freedom Zone on Monday, 5th and Tuesday, 6th October. So stop by and visit the Team, pick up copies of our publications, get your free Stop the EU Rip-Off car window sticker, or bring a friend and sign them up to the campaign!
The TPA's Fringe Events:Location: All the TPA's fringe events will be held in the Barbirolli Room, Bridgewater Hall, part of The Freedom Zone (map here).
The Freedom Zone is outside the conference secure zone, and so is open to anyone - you don't have to be a Tory or have a conference pass to attend. For more information on the Freedom Zone, click here.
You can download a copy of our fringe meeting flyer to print off yourself here (PDF format).
Monday, 5th October
1.00pm to 2.00pm
Civil liberties and security - are they compatible?
with Alex Deane & Douglas Murray
Big Brother Watch Director, Alex Deane, will be in conversation with Douglas Murray, Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion, about civil liberties and security. What measures need to be taken in order to protect ourselves against terrorism? Do such security measures undermine the very principles that they seek to protect? Are civil liberties and security in conflict, and if so which is more important?
3.15pm to 4.15pm
Europe: the ticking time-bomb
with Matthew Elliott, Dr Ruth Lea, Dr Lee Rotherham and Rt Hon Lord Trimble
With the EU costing every man, woman and child in Britain £2,000 a year, the issue of Britain's future relationship with Europe cannot and must not be ignored. Matthew Elliott, the Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance; Dr Ruth Lea, the leading economist and Director of Global Vision; EU expert Dr Lee Rotherham and the Rt Hon Lord (David) Trimble, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, will be addressing the issue and urging Britain to free itself of the EU's costly, invasive government.
Tuesday, 6th October
11.45am to 12.45pm
The right response to climate change
with Matt Sinclair, Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP, Jim Manzi and Iain Murray
with Matt Sinclair, Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP, Jim Manzi and Iain Murray
This event will discuss the way that current climate change policies threaten to impose huge costs on ordinary people while achieving very little. Are there alternative approaches that don't imperil the economy? The event will be chaired by Matthew Sinclair, the TPA's Research Director, and he will be joined by the Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP, a former cabinet minister who exposed the huge economic cost of the Climate Change Act; Iain Murray, Director of Projects and Analysis and Senior Fellow in Energy, Science and Technology at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and a key player in the resistance to "cap and trade" in the United States; Jim Manzi, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Founder and Chairman of Applied Predictive Technologies (APT), an applied artificial intelligence software company, and a Contributing Editor of the National Review.
3.15pm to 4.15pm
How to solve the fiscal crisis and where to cut public spending
with Dr Ruth Lea, Matthew Elliott, Graeme Leach and Rt Hon John Redwood MP
with Dr Ruth Lea, Matthew Elliott, Graeme Leach and Rt Hon John Redwood MP
With the Government borrowing over £175 billion, almost £7,000 for every family in Britain, this year alone, the fiscal crisis is worse than ever. It is clearly necessary for public spending to be cut drastically in order to reduce the deficit and control the tax burden. Even Gordon Brown has finally accepted that cuts are possible and necessary. Joining Matthew Elliott to discuss how to balance the books and cut spending are leading economist Dr Ruth Lea, Graeme Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors and the Rt Hon John Redwood MP.
Other events featuring the TPA:
Event: Would we be Better Off Out of the European Union?
Event: Battle of the Blogs: What is the future of the BBC?
Event: Disinfecting Parliament - the future of MPs' expenses
Event: Show us the money: How the Sustainable Communities Act will create transparency in government
Event: More effective and more transparent: How to sort out public spending
Event: Democracy Dragons' Den
Event: Air Passenger Duty: A Mile High Con?
Tuesday 6th October
Event: Would we be Better Off Out of the European Union?
TPA Speaker: Mark Wallace
Organisers: The Freedom Association
Time: 9am - 10am
Venue: The Barbirolli Room, Bridgewater Hall, The Freedom Zone
Description: Mark Wallace, TPA Campaign Director, will be speaking about the huge cost of the EU to British taxpayers and consumers in a meeting chaired by Tim Montgomerie, Editor of ConservativeHome, and featuring Roger Helmer MEP.
Event: Battle of the Blogs: What is the future of the BBC?
TPA Speaker: Alex Deane
Organisers: The Freedom Association
Time: 10.15am - 11.15am
Venue: The Green Room, Bridgewater Hall, The Freedom Zone
Organisers: The Freedom Association
Time: 10.15am - 11.15am
Venue: The Green Room, Bridgewater Hall, The Freedom Zone
Description: Alex, a former World Champion Debater, will be presenting the closing remarks at the debate between prominent bloggers Harry Cole of www.torybear.com and Oliver Cooper of www.keeprightonline.com
Event: Disinfecting Parliament - the future of MPs' expenses
TPA Speaker: Mark Wallace
Organisers: The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics
Time: 2.15pm - 3.15pm
Venue: The Barbirolli Room, Bridgewater Hall, The Freedom Zone
Description: Mark Wallace and Paul Staines (AKA blogger Guido Fawkes) will be debating the future of MPs' expenses with John Rentoul, chief political commentator at the Independent on Sunday and David Aaronovitch, columnist on the Sunday Times. With MPs' expenses being the hottest political potato of the year, it should make for an exciting event.
Event: Show us the money: How the Sustainable Communities Act will create transparency in government
Time: 5.30pm to 7pm
Venue: Exchange Room 5 (secure zone), Manchester Central
Description: Mark will be urging full transparency of quango spending as part of a panel chaired by Oliver Letwin MP and featuring Nick Hurd MP, Bob Neill MP, Mervyn Kohler of Age Concern and Help the Aged, Ron Bailey of Unlock Democracy, Mike Benner of the Campaign for Real Ale, Lord Hanningfield, Leader of Essex County Council and Paul Carter, Leader of Kent County Council.
Event: More effective and more transparent: How to sort out public spending
TPA Speaker: Matthew Elliott
Organisers: Institute of Chartered Accounts and Reform
Time: 6pm
Venue: Regency Lounge, Royal Albion Hotel
Description: Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TPA, will be discussing how to sort out public spending with Philip Hammond MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Michael Izza, Chief Executive of the ICAEW and Elizabeth Truss, Deputy Director of Reform.
Wednesday 7th October
Event: Democracy Dragons' Den
TPA Speaker: Mark Wallace
Organisers: Conservative Action for Electoral Reform
Time: 12.30pm - 2pm
Venue: Exchange Room 2 (secure zone), Manchester Central
Description: Mark will be pitching a TPA proposal on improving the democratic system to a panel of "Dragons" including Eleanor Laing MP and Michael White of The Guardian.
Event: Air Passenger Duty: A Mile High Con?
TPA Speaker: Mark Wallace
Organisers: Conservatives for International Travel
Time: 3pm - 4pm
Venue: Bar 38, Peter Street
Venue: Bar 38, Peter Street
Description: Mark will join speakers from Manchester Airport Group and British Airways to discuss the Air Passenger Duty tax and the prospect of higher and more punitive taxes on flying in future.