From October, I will temporarily step down as a spokesperson for the TaxPayers' Alliance to allow me to concentrate on winning this important referendum. For the following eight months, the day-to-day running of the TPA will be overseen by Matt Sinclair, who will be familiar to all of you as our Research Director. Matt has stamped his intellectual mark on the TPA since joining us three years ago, and I am delighted that he has agreed to become the campaign’s first overall Director, taking responsibility for the campaigning, communications, grassroots and research aspects of the TPA. During this period, I will continue to provide strategic advice and oversight to the TPA. However, given the long term importance of this historic referendum, I feel the need to play a part in the fullest possible way. This is a very exciting time for the TPA. In the next few months we will be releasing several new major pieces of research, tackling everything from the public money being channelled to Unions to council non-jobs and publicity and taxpayer funding for environmentalist groups. We will also be starting work on a major project looking at ambitious potential tax reforms. There will also be many more opportunities for you to get directly involved, with local branches of the TPA growing in Surrey, Hull & East Riding, Bath, Islington, West Yorkshire and Aberdeen, and lots of interest in the Manchester-area, Norfolk, Cardiff, Dorset and Devon, where we hope to see new groups forming soon. Having spent the past five years campaigning alongside you against expenses abuses by MPs, I know that you share my belief in accountable and transparent politics, which shifts power from politicians to the people. The AV electoral system would be a step backwards on all of these fronts, making politicians less accountable and elections less transparent. From a taxpayers' point of view, I am also disturbed to learn that the referendum is going to cost us £100 million. Britain therefore especially needs and deserves an effective 'No' campaign, and this is why I feel it should be the focus of my attention from October. This is not a decision I have made lightly, and it is not one I would have made were I not convinced that the TPA will be able to continue campaigning at full strength under Matt's supervision. Like the TPA, the 'No' campaign is above tribal party politics - it is about fighting for the good of the country and our democratic way of life. There will be many in the 'No' campaign who have never campaigned together and many who have been on opposing sides in party or policy battles. The Trade Unionists, Conservatives, senior Labour Parliamentarians - and, I hope, many of you - will campaign alongside each other because they care as much for the democratic future of their country as they do for their long-held political allegiances.
A personal message from Matthew Elliott, co-founder of the TPA
As you may have read elsewhere, I have accepted an invitation to head the 'No' campaign in next year’s referendum on the introduction of the ‘Alternative Vote’ system for UK general elections (to read the full press release, click here).
Andrew Allum, Chairman of the TPA, congratulated Matthew on his role leading the No2AV campaign:
"I think Matthew’s appointment to this very important position recognises his outstanding campaigning abilities and reflects well on the achievements of all the TPA’s staff, activists and supporters in pushing the interests of taxpayers. I wish Matthew every success over the coming months on the AV campaign.
"Meanwhile the TPA looks forward to a new phase in our campaign for lower taxes and better government under the very capable direction of Matt Sinclair, and we continue firing on all cylinders over the coming year."www.taxpayersalliance.com
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
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