When British Conservatives look across the Atlantic for inspiration, which country do they have in mind? These days, it’s more likely to be Stephen Harper’s Canada than the USA. The Republican Party does have some followers on this side of the pond, but for the most part they’ve greeted the GOP’s choice of Presidential candidate […]
Matthew Sinclair is Director of The TaxPayers' Alliance. Follow Matthew on Twitter. This is the third of three blogs on today's TPA report recommending a 'Single Income Tax'. See earlier contributions from Matt Sinclair on a Family Transferable Allowance and Matthew Elliott on the general principle. This week has seen the launch of the 2020 Tax […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter One year ago the Centre for Social Justice graded the Coalition on what it regards as the key pathways out of poverty and towards prosperous, independent living (ConHome emphasises just three – family, school and work). The CSJ has updated the scorecard now that the Coalition is celebrating two years […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Immediately after the Budget and during the fuel panic the big attack on Cameron was that his operation wasn't very competent. A month ago the suggestion was that he was too posh. Now there's a rush of stories alleging that he's a bit, well, lazy… The most ridiculous was in […]
Matthew Sinclair is Director of The TaxPayers' Alliance. This is the second in a series of articles based on the TPA's 2020 Tax Commission proposals. Matthew Elliott contributed the first part eartlier today. Follow Matt Sinclair on Twitter. There are currently two quite thorny policy challenges facing the Government. First, they have means tested Child Benefit in […]
Julian Smith is the Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon, and Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Micro Businesses. Start-ups and small businesses are the growth engine for Britain’s economic future. There are over four million businesses in the UK with fewer than ten employees, accounting for over seven million jobs. Regulation, […]
John Bald says that for school inspections to work the inspectors need more power over what they see and who they talk to The school was notified on Thursday of an inspection to start the next Tuesday. All staff were ordered to attend over weekend and one was reprimanded for going on a pre-booked excursion […]
4pm Matt Sinclair on Comment: Tax reform without tax cuts is a political disaster; tax cuts without reform a missed opportunity 3.30pm ThinkTankCentral: The Centre for Social Justice attacks Coalition's record on family and voluntary sector, but praises progress on welfare and schools 2pm ToryDiary: 'The chillaxing DVD Dave watches crap films, plays tennis, and […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Even Ken Clarke seems to believe that it's now only a matter of time before Greece leaves the €urozone although I must have missed his apology for his constant recommendations that Britain should have joined the burning building. Over the coming weeks the Government will face its gravest test since […]
Greece is the word. Or is it? If it weren’t for the house of cards that is the Eurozone, the world wouldn’t be talking about the Greek economy – not when Chinese economic growth is creating the equivalent of a new Greece every three months. But what if all is not well in China? What […]
The 2020 Tax Commission, a joint project of the Taxpayers Alliance and the Institute of Directors, calls for huge cuts in spending and tax to boost growth. Matthew Elliott writes about it on ConHome this morning. Part of the mix they propose would see more tax at a local level, with councils less dependent on […]
Last week Steve Hilton left his job at 10 Downing Street. Bruce Anderson reflects on the "highly divisive background briefing" – including claims of £25 billion in extra welfare cuts, the uselessness of the civil service and a 'chillaxed' style of premiership – that has been credited to the PM's outgoing guru, all sourced from […]
Matthew Elliott is Chief Executive of The TaxPayers' Alliance. This is the first in a series of articles based on the TPA's 2020 Tax Commission proposals. Ken Livingstone once wrote that everyone “should pay tax at the same rate on their earnings and all other income”. For all our differences, I agree. If you earn […]
The interview was given last Friday.
Quentin Letts is the Parliamentary sketchwriter of the Daily Mail Sterner editorial discipline may not be easily imposed on a sprawling organisation, yet this is essential if the BBC is to retain political support. It will fall into line if the Director-General re-states quickly – with some early coups de main – a morality about […]