Dr Lee Rotherham in conversation

Dr Lee Rotherham, author of 'Ten Years On: Britain without the European Union' discusses the ideas in his book.

New TPA advertisement coming to a cinema near you

Below you can see an advertisement that will be showing in cinemas the length and breadth of the country. It promotes the book, 'Ten Years On: Britain without the European Union' and enables the TPA to reach out to a much wider audience.

In a light hearted way, it gets the message across just how much the EU costs British taxpayers and British businesses. Tell me what you think.

Complaint against Diana Johnson MP - Update

I informed you in September that I have reported Diana Johnson MP to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Read more HERE.

The commissioner has decided to investigate further with reference to Ms Johnson using a House of Commons franked envelope for what appears to be party political purposes. I will report again when I hear from him.

East Riding Council and Mercury Design and Marketing

Two weeks ago I sent the following e-mail to Cllr Stephen Parnaby, leader of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council:

Dear Mr Parnaby

After the recent press coverage regarding Mercury Design and Marketing Ltd and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, you quite rightly asked the District Auditor to investigate if any irregularites have taken place. Bearing this in mind, I have a number of questions I would like you to answer:

1. During this investigation, do you think Mercury should have its contract suspended?

2. Mercury claimed you were leading a course on communications training for councillors. This has been denied and an apology has been issued. Is this is a company you can trust, bearing in mind it has brought into question your integrity?

3. As Simon Taylor was a director of a company that went into liquidation at the beginning of this year, do you think it is appropriate he has continued as a director of the Humber Economic Partnership?

4. As questions have been raised about your integrity, isn't it appropriate you should step aside as leader until the District Auditor's investigation is complete and the findings are made public?

I look forward to your reply

Yours sincerely

Andrew Allison

Organiser, Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire Branch, Taxpayers' Alliance

Yesterday, I received a reply from him in the mail basically saying as these matters are under investigation, he has no further comment to make at the moment. So we are now in a situation where a company running the council's communications department is still working for the council, even though it has brought the leader's reputation and honesty into question. Just like Cllr Parnaby, I will comment further on this issue when the two investigations are complete and have issued their reports, although for the record, I think Mercury's contract should have been suspended.

Bridlington Renaissance Partnership

On the Politics Show today in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, one of the topics for discussion were Quangos. I recorded a piece on Wednesday and had a 30 second slot on the programme.

In the studio, one of the guests was Martyn Coltman, from the Bridlington Renaissance Partnership. If only I can have a ten-minute slot with him on either television or radio. If you want a prime example of how not to use public money, then take a look at Bridlington.

Grandiose schemes abound such as planting trees that won't grow. Spending £100K on welcome signs. Spending £6.5 million on paving around the Spa Complex with an amazing half a million pounds being swallowed up in consultants fees. They are just three of a catalogue of examples of how public money is being wasted by a largely unaccountable body supposedly regenerating the seaside town.

I'm not saying public money should not be spent in Bridlington, but it should be given to the council who can then allocate it to projects it feels are worthy. If the public disagrees then they can always show their dissatisfaction at the ballot box. This way there is accountability.

What Quangocrats like Mr Coltman fail to realise is the only way to get business booming is to lower taxes and reduce regulation. High taxes and increased regulation are the main drivers against economic success. Their disincentivising effects can been seen throughout the country.

Meanwhile Quangos continue to dole out public money in the hope trade will be increased by grandiose projects. They may have some effect, but they will never be the solution. Successful economies are low tax and low regulation economies and when public money is being spent, the public have a right to hold those responsible to account. It's called democracy. In Quango-run Britain, this is something sorely lacking.

What's a QUANGO?

That's the question I have been asked all day. It surprised me how many people had not heard of these unaccountable bodies that drink taxpayers' cash. They can spend our money - acting on behalf of the government - at will, with virtually no accountability. I want to focus on Regional Development Agencies, and Yorkshire Forward in particular. The TPA has an excellent report on these agencies. To read it click HERE. You may be surprised at the scale of their failure.

Complaint against Diana Johnson, MP for Hull North

Every Member of Parliament receives £10,000 of public money in the form of a communications allowance. It is basically used by MPs to inform their constituents of how wonderful they are and what a great job they are doing. Naturally, the Taxpayers' Alliance is opposed to this allowance.

Diana Johnson, MP for Hull North, recently used this allowance to issue a traffic and transport survey to residents in Kingswood. As she is not informing us of her work and is trying to gather information to help her in her general election fight, this survey should have been paid for by Hull North Constituency Labour Party.

I have therefore written to John Lyon, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, as a private individual and constituent of Ms Johnson, and have asked him to investigate the matter. I will post his response here when I receive it. I have also written a letter to the Hull Daily Mail to inform readers of the newspaper of my actions.