There is always a huge amount going at the party conferences, and this year's Tory conference in Birmingham (where I'm blogging from) is no different. Certainly for the TPA we've had a whirlwind of leafleting, networking and promoting the tax cuts message.
In between the main conference events and the numerous fringe meetings, though, are a range of stands and stalls. We had one on Monday to sign up supporters, distribute information about the TPA and dish out our latest bit of TPA kit, a nifty torch pen that projects "TAX CUTS PLEASE", which have proved extremely popular.
In fact, a lot of organisations have got them - charities, pressure groups, internal Tory organisations, businesses and so on. Why, though, are there public sector organisations here, paid for by the taxpayer?
At a quick glance I can spot at least 11 public sector exhibitors, each of whom must have paid thousands for a stand. Why are the Standards Board, the Equality and Human Rights Commission or the Ordnance Survey coughing up our cash to come and lobby at a party political event? Even worse, there are a number of councils here - including Hampshire and Tameside?
They should be getting on with their jobs, not squandering money on self-promotion like this. The people they are meant to be serving would get a better deal if they stayed in their offices and got on with their jobs - they have no reason to be here, and taxpayers don't cough up their hard-earned cash for them to strut their stuff on the political stage.
Thanks for reading. If you agree with our campaign for lower taxes and want to know more about the TPA, you can register online, completely free of charge, here.