£74m for branded condoms? UK must stop spaffing cash on foreign aid Opinion Labour is plotting to reverse cuts to foreign aid, but the UK's spending history reveals a questionable use of funds, writes Anne Strickland.
Andy Burnham is on course to rack up the second highest debt interest bill on record Opinion Britain’s national debt has reached £3 trillion. We can’t go on like this, says Anne Strickland Andy Burnham has been Prime Minister for just over a fortnight and in that time, Britain’s national debt crossed the unimaginable £3 trillion mark, according to the Taxpayers’ Alliance Debt Clock. It took us 11 years to go from [...]
Nearly 1m people to pay higher tax ‘by stealth’ Economics Nearly one million people are being dragged into higher tax bands as the government’s “stealth” freezes take effect, according to new analysis. Data crunched by the Taxpayers’ Alliance has shown that fiscal drag – where freezes on tax bands mean workers are forced to pay more into HMRC as wages grow – will impact 1m [...]
The Debate: Should cultural landmarks have equal pricing for benefits claimants? April 15, 2026 As discounted tickets for those on benefits kicks off a Twitter storm over 'fairness', we hear both sides of the argument in the Debate.
Taxpayers brace for a financial hit after personal allowance rule change April 9, 2026 British taxpayers are bracing for a fresh financial hit as changes to the personal allowance creeps closer. While the personal allowance itself is not changing, remaining frozen at £12,570 until 2031, a subtle change will take effect from the next tax year, as the government places a new lock onto how it is applied, affecting [...]
The only thing that’s growing in Britain is the civil service February 4, 2026 The salary bill for the civil service rose to £21bn last year, up more than seven per cent in a year when economic growth was anaemic at best. The private sector is funding a pay bonanza while businesses are ground down with higher taxes and more regulation, says John O’Connell While Britain’s businesses struggle with [...]
City watchdogs balloon despite deregulation drive November 18, 2025 Calls for the Chancellor to accelerate her City-wide deregulation push grew on Monday after freshly obtained figures revealed headcount at financial regulators has ballooned by over 50 per cent in the past decade. According to data shared exclusively with City AM, nearly 4,500 more staff work at the City’s five largest regulators than did 10 [...]
The ‘university for all’ rhetoric is hurting students and the taxpayer August 12, 2025 Decades of “university for all” rhetoric is hurting students whose degrees no longer pay off, and taxpayers who are stumping up the cost.
Tax, tax and more tax. Does Rachel Reeves not know there’s another way? July 9, 2025 Wealth taxes, pension raids, inheritance tax, does Labour really not know there's another option, asks John O'Connell.
Renters’ Rights Bill raises ‘significant questions’ for tenants, industry leaders warn April 21, 2025 Industry leaders have expressed concerns about the knock-on effects of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which entered the committee stage on 21 April. The bill, which aims to give renters greater security and stability, will abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, as well as ban landlords accepting offers above the advertised rent and prohibit pre-tenancy rent payments. [...]