Friday, 18 June 2010

TaxPayers' Alliance Bulletin - 18th June 2010

New EU video: “George Osborne” and “Danny Alexander” try to pay Britain’s cheque direct to the EU Commission!
This week the TaxPayers’ Alliance teamed up with Democracy Movement to present a new video highlighting the£20.8million (net) paid by British taxpayers to the European Union every day, and calling on the Government to cut our payments to the EU.
Our two intrepid activists, cunningly disguised as the Chancellor, George Osborne and his Chief Secretary, Danny Alexander, took to the streets of Westminster to visit Downing Street and the Treasury before finally arriving at the London office of the EU Commission to pay in their giant (in every sense of the word!) cheque. And would you believe, they didn't want it?

This video forms part of our ongoing campaign against the extortionate cost of the EU to taxpayers in this country. We still have a stock of "Stop the EU Rip-Off" car stickers available free-of-charge to those who are interested in drawing more attention to this issue, so if you'd like one just get in touch!

Please feel free to embed the video on your blog or website, link to it on Twitter!

Gloomy economic outlook

The new Office for Budget Responsibility released its first report this week – and the picture for economic growth is more gloomy than we first thought. The Treasury’s initial predictions were far too optimistic and to base financial decisions on them was dangerous. Many of the problems we are facing today were the result of politicians and bankers being too optimistic. If one good thing can come of lower economic growth than expected, it’s that the government might base their plans on more cautious expectations.
There had actually been some good news recently as government borrowing came in lower than expected this year, but if future growth isn't as strong as predicted that will evaporate very quickly. High spending is the source of all the borrowing and will continue to undermine growth. Spending cuts are the key to improving the state of the public finances – not facing up to this could mean that taxpayers are hit with bigger tax bills, and possibly a rise in VAT which would be disastrous for lower-income families already struggling to make ends meet. We hope next week’s Emergency Budget deals with these challenges.
The TPA's Research Director, Matthew Sinclair, wrote a blog on Monday which compares the forecast from the 2010 Budget with that of the new Office for Budget Responsibility - click here to read it along with the reaction we issued to the media.

Post-Emergency Budget Briefing
You may remember that last week we invited you to our briefing on Wednesday, 23rd June after the coalition's Emergency Budget announcements. Well it's certainly proving a very popular event and we're looking forward to a big attendance but we do have room for a few more so do drop us a line ASAP if you'd like to come along. Please RSVP to emma.bennett@taxpayersalliance.com.
Here are the details again:

9.45am for 10.00am, Wednesday 23rd June 2010

Harvey Godwin Suite, Church House Conference Centre, Dean’s Yard, Westminster, SW1P 3NZ

Speakers will include:
Ruth Lea (chair), Economic Adviser, Arbuthnot Banking Group
Philip Booth, Editorial Director, Institute of Economic Affairs
Mike Denham, TPA Research Fellow and former Treasury and City Economist
Allister Heath, Editor of City AM
Graeme Leach, Chief Economist and Director of Policy, Institute of Directors
William Norton, City Solicitor and lead researcher for the James Review
John Redwood MP
Matthew Sinclair, Research Director, TaxPayers’ Alliance
David B. Smith, Beacon Economic Forecasting

We look forward to seeing you there!

Protest!

Last month our excellent Hull & East Riding branch held a demonstration in Beverley outside the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's County Hall in opposition to the enormous discretionary payment of no less than £364,205 (!) paid into the authority's former Director of Corporate Resource's pension pot. We had a great turn-out on the day with TPA Chief Executive & Founder, Matthew Elliott, also in attendance to speak to the gathered media.
Well since then the issue has attracted yet more attention, with one councillor (who joined our protestors on the day) being dismissed from two scrutiny committees after objecting to what he saw as a misallocation of taxpayers' funds. As a result, we're now staging a follow-up protest and we're asking you to join us! Please confirm your attendance by emailing co-ordinator Andrew Allison atbeverleyprotest@mail.com.
What?: A protest in the wake of the Emergency Budget to demand that this council spends our money wisely!
Where?: East Riding of Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Cross Street, Beverley, HU17 9BA
When?: Meet at 1pm, Wednesday 23rd June
We British are notoriously bad at complaining and protesting. We tend to accept our lot and moan to friends and family privately. Unless we publicly protest and make our views known, nothing will change. We protested in May, and we need to keep on protesting until they realise we are not going away. Please join us on 23 June, at 1.00pm. The full council meets at 2.00pm, so if you want to, you can sit in the public viewing area and watch your elected representatives in action. Email beverleyprotest@mail.com. You turn up - we'll provide the placards!

Best of the blogs
Better Government: Guarantees or targets?

Posted by Britannia Radio at 20:31