TaxPayers' Alliance Bulletin - 21st November 2008
The TPA Grills Gordon Downing Street are taking the unusually brave step of actually engaging with the public, albeit only through YouTube. The idea of "Ask The PM" is this: think of a question you would like Gordon Brown to answer, then post it on YouTube and the most popular entries will be answered by the Prime Minister himself.
Never ones to pass up an opportunity to hold the Government to account, we have posted a video in which TPA Campaign Manager Susie Squire asks about the long term implications of this Government's ever increasing public debt. We've made it as direct as possible, to make it difficult for him to sidestep. To watch the video, please click here.
If our video proves popular enough, Gordon will have to answer and confess that his wasteful spending and big state ways are piling a massive burden on future generations of taxpayers. We've already had over 2,300 viewers, so watch this space...
Public Sector Rich List 2008
Next week sees the release of our ever-popular Public Sector Rich List 2008. Now in its third edition, this report exposes how many Public Sector employees are on over £150,000 per year - and the list is longer than ever. Look out for the highlights in your newspaper next week...
Bristol TPA Meeting
On Saturday 6 December, the TPA will hold a meeting to launch the new Bristol branch, which will hold local politicians to account and build up a lasting, sustainable campaign in the South West. If you'd like to get involved in the fight for lower taxes in Bristol and across the South West, this is your opportunity to register your interest and learn what it takes to be a TPA activist and grassroots member, so do come along and find out more. The meeting will be held at noon at:
Cafe Rouge
Cabot Circus
Bristol
BS1 3BD
Tel: 0117 9544808
Cafe Rouge
Cabot Circus
Bristol
BS1 3BD
Tel: 0117 9544808
Leek Action Day makes a big impact
On Wednesday, supporters from the Staffordshire Moorlands congregated in a rather drizzly Leek town centre for another TPA Action Day spent collecting signatures for a petition to cut local council tax and talking to market-goers about the benefits of tax cuts. Following an inspired idea from Don Morris of our Wolverhampton branch, Staffordshire activists Russell Booth and Barry Robbins (right) wore high-visibility jackets emblazoned with "Tax Cuts Please" and soon attracted queues of people to sign their council tax petition. Thanks to all those who turned up and helped to recruit 150 new supporters despite the rain - you can read a full report of the action day here.
Lambeth Council want your views on the budget
Lambeth council is consulting its residents on the upcoming council budget in 2009. You can go online here and fill out the questionnaire here. Whilst people in Lambeth bear a massive tax burden to fund the council's wasteful ways, the majority of local government funding still comes from the national taxpayer, so it is in all our interests that they do a better job and cut out some of that fat from their budget. Lambeth council spends £1.3 million per year on publicity alone, and employs 275 middle management staff on packages over £50,000. This is a great opportunity for us to tell Lambeth Council to stop wasting so much money and reduce council tax in 2009.
Activist letter writing
A great example of what one activist can achieve came to our attention recently. TPA supporter Roger Baker wrote to Private Eye to alert them to the ridiculous spending decisions of Suffolk County Council’s new chief executive, Andrea Hill, who many of you may remember as having landed an obscene £220,000 a year salary when Suffolk recruited her. Private Eye wrote the story in their usual stinging style - you can see the coverage here.
The power of letters to the press to get the message out and to show people that it is possible to make a stand for lower taxes should not be underestimated. Next week is the Pre Budget Report, so get writing to your local and national newspaper now and campaign for lower taxes. If your letter gets printed, do let us know so we can keep track of our campaign activities, as well as letting the politicians know our supporters are writing more than ever.
The power of letters to the press to get the message out and to show people that it is possible to make a stand for lower taxes should not be underestimated. Next week is the Pre Budget Report, so get writing to your local and national newspaper now and campaign for lower taxes. If your letter gets printed, do let us know so we can keep track of our campaign activities, as well as letting the politicians know our supporters are writing more than ever.
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