Friday, 12 March 2010



TaxPayers' Alliance Bulletin - 12 March 2010

Public sector 15 times more likely to strike

Following on from the disruptive PCSU strike this week, we published a new research paper demonstrating quite how excessively prone to striking the public sector has become. Using data from the Office for National Statistics, we calculated that in 2009 public sector workers went on strike fifteen times more than workers in the private sector. Since mid-2008 we have been warning of a growing trend for industrial action among the public sector unions, which threaten a "looming winter of discontent". Despite the private sector having borne the brunt of the recession, it is clear that the public sector already prefers to strike rather than compromise. With sizeable cuts in public spending now essential, this does not bode well for a sensible and practical reaction from the public sector. The report was launched with the Daily Mail and The Sun, and you can read it in full here.


MPs' prosecution

You will undoubtedly have seen in the news that the three MPs and one Peer charged over alleged expenses abuses had their first court appearance yesterday. Happily, the TPA were there to welcome them, and the widely reported chants of "Oink! Oink!" came from TPA protesters. Indeed, you can hear us in the background on the BBC report here. The next date in court is 30th March at Southwark Crown Court - we'll send out more details about how you can join the protest closer to the time.

There have been more developments on the MPs' expenses front this week outside court, too. Harry Cohen MP is now being investigated by the police, as we demanded when the Parliamentary authorities only gave him a slap on the wrist. We have also reported Ann and Alan Keen MPs, AKA "Mr and Mrs Expenses", to the police after the Parliamentary authorities failed to even ask them to apologise for behaviour described by the Parliamentary Standard Commissioner as "a serious breach of the rules involving significant public funds". We'll keep you updated if there are any further developments in the campaign for justice.

Deficit undermining recovery

This week TPA Research Director Matt Sinclair has been looking at Britain's weak recovery, and how it may be due to high government borrowing undermining economic confidence. New statistics today from Eurostat shows that industrial production across the eurozone rose by 1.7% in January. In Britain, it fell by 0.3%. The graph to the right shows how weak performance has been in Britain.

Earlier in the week new trade figures showed the deficit had risen from £2.6 to £3.8 billion despite the weak pound. BBC Economics Editor Stephanie Flanders reported that "we've seen...exports and imports falling - along with the wider economy - but exports more than imports. And there has been almost no change in our terms of trade." In other words, UK manufacturers seem to have taken the opportunity to increase their margins - here and abroad - rather than pick up new sales. To read Matt's analysis of the problem, and his warning that large Government deficits threaten rather than sustain our economic future, click here.

Matthew Elliott speech in Glasgow

TPA Co-founder and Chief Executive Matthew Elliott will be speaking at the West of Scotland Historical Association in Glasgow on Friday 19th March on the topic "The Hidden Influence of Taxation on British History". The event will be held at 5.30pm on Friday 19th March 2010 at Lilybank House, University of Glasgow (directions here). If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to info@taxpayersalliance.com.

Glasgow logos

Over the last few years we've dealt with a worrying number of cases where ridiculous amounts of taxpayers' money has been wasted on logos for public sector bodies. One such story from Glasgow this week really takes the biscuit. The organising committee of the 2014 Commonwealth Games unveiled their new logo (far right), which we thought was pretty expensive given its price tag of £95,000. Shockingly, it then turned out that the logo bears a striking resemblance to a logo designed for Glasgow arts organisation The Common Guild in 2007 (near right). Both logos were designed by the same company, Marque Creative. We think Marque should pay back their fee for the Commonwealth Games logo, seeing as they appear to have simply recycled some old work. If you agree, please follow this link to email Marque demanding they repay taxpayers.

Vote on where your money goes

Amid all the furore over the expenses prosecutions, it should be remembered that many MPs from all parties have bowed to public pressure and pledged that they won’t take the 1.5% pay rise given to the Commons this week. While it’s disappointing that Parliament still voted the pay rise through, at least some of them have started to learn the lessons of the expenses scandal. One MP, Sandra Gidley - who came in for heavy criticism as one the highest-claiming MPs in the South last year - has launched an online vote on her website to give us all the choice between her giving the money back to taxpayers or donating it to charity. Obviously, as the TaxPayers' Alliance we think she should let taxpayers keep their own money to spend as they wish, but whatever your opinion please vote here.

Best of the blogs

European Union: Computer Says No

Avanta
You may recall we mentioned a couple of weeks ago that our previous office had been provided rent free by David Alberto, MD of Avanta, the managed office company. This really helped us bridge the gap between our old office and our new Tufton Street base. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Avanta for their crucial support which helped the TPA out at a really important transitional time.

Posted by Britannia Radio at 18:58