It is always nice to see our work recognised with international awards. I hope you are proud of the campaign that we have all built together at the TPA. But this week shows why we need to find another gear in 2013. The Government is still spending nearly half of national income, as taxes rise but overall cuts in spending fail to materialise, some councils are still finding more ways to fleece their residents and we are getting closer to a critical moment in Britain's relationship with the European Union. We have a lot of work to do.

- Matt Sinclair, Chief Executive

David Cameron pledges an EU referendum

It is brilliant news that the Prime Minister has pledged to get Britain a better deal in Europe. And that pledge teeth will have teeth as voters can decide if the new deal is good enough in a referendum. The TPA has done a lot of work on areas where Britain is getting a terrible deal already, and we will be keeping up the pressure this year. 

Government still spending nearly half of national income

In a must-read column for the Daily Telegraph, Allister Heath - Editor at City A.M. and Chairman of our 2020 Tax Commission - writes about the terrible news that the Government is still spending nearly half of our national income. New statistics show that, for all the cuts in some areas, politicians are still spending a fortune overall. 

Major protest against Greater Manchester Council Tax hikes

Several local authorities in the Greater Manchester area - including Manchester City Council, Oldham and Rochdale - are planning big hikes in Council Tax. We are organising a protest against those tax hikes at midday on Saturday 16 February in Albert Square, right outside Manchester Town Hall. Let us know if you can come, or register to attend on Facebook. 

TaxPayers' Alliance named in list of most effective think tanks

The TaxPayers' Alliance has been named as the 25th best advocacy campaign and the 23rd best transparency and good governance think tank in the world, in a new survey of thousands of experts in the field by academics at the University of Pennsylvania.