Britannia Radio

It has been a quiet week with the Olympics going on, and at the TPA we have been working hard on some longer term projects in between cheering on Team GB. There have still been some incredible stories of your money being wasted, and ugly new charges, but for once there is also some good news. – Matthew Sinclair, Chief Executive Cumbria pensioner receives £16 million surprise tax bill What would you do if you received a £16 million tax bill through the post? Cumbria pensioner Enid Fisher discoveredthat an HMRC official had accidentally put the date - 16.02.2012 - in the wrong box on a form. The only way to minimise all too common mistakes is to introduce taxes that aren't too taxing for the tax man. Instead HMRC wants to make taxpayers legally responsible for spotting the bureaucrats' mistakes! Another £3 million in subsidy to the trade unions The Sun has discovered that trade unions have received £3 million to train their activists, with courses including "organising and recruitment" and "contemporary trade unionism". Just part of the subsidy they get at your expense every year. NHS Trust starts charging some patients over £150 a year again Coventry University Hospital has abolished its cap on parking charges, hurting the most vulnerable patients. Rob Oxleyattacked the charge on ITV Central, calling it a "tax on the sick". Efficiency and Reform Group saves £5.5bn Matthew Elliott writes that there is good news from the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group, which has saved taxpayers £5.5 billion. Sadly, too much hard work like this is squandered elsewhere in W