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a nation of taxpayers: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Duncan Barkes
A podcast from the Taxpayers' Alliance. Talking politics and highlighting waste in all forms of government and the public sector. Presented by Duncan Barkes with guests from the Taxpayers' Alliance and from across the world of politics.On X, follow the TaxPayers' Alliance @the_tpa More links and info here: https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/
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- 4 days ago30 min
It's Time to Abolish Inheritance Tax
Inheritance tax is one of Britain's most unpopular taxes, and the political pressure to scrap it is now growing. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's William Yarwood and the Adam Smith Institute's Maxwell Marlow to make the case for abolishing inheritance tax, as the Conservatives explore plans to scrap the levy altogether. They discuss why inheritance tax penalises saving, investment and families trying to pass on what they have built, whether abolition could boost growth, and how the lost revenue could be covered through spending restraint rather than higher taxes elsewhere.
- 1 weeks ago30 min
The Government Spends Like A Drunken Sailor
Britain's government is spending eye-watering sums across an ever-growing state, but where is all that money actually going? Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's William Yarwood and Shimeon Lee to discuss the TaxPayers' Alliance's latest Spending Factbook, which lays bare the scale of government spending and how taxpayers' money is being used across Whitehall and the wider public sector. They examine which areas of government are consuming the most cash, how spending has changed over time, where the biggest pressures are coming from, and why successive governments have struggled to get the public finances under control. Read the new factbook here
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Growth of the Civil Service is Out of Control
Britain's civil service has ballooned by a third in just a decade, leaving taxpayers funding more than half a million officials and a salary bill of over £22 billion. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's research director Darwin Friend and former TPA chairman Mike Denham to discuss new TaxPayers' Alliance research into the growth of the civil service, which reveals headcount has risen from 418,340 in 2016 to 557,825 in 2026. They examine the explosion in senior officials and six-figure salaries, why Whitehall continues to expand despite repeated promises of reform, and whether shifting civil servants around the country really amounts to decentralisation.
- 3 weeks ago36 min
The Lies About Britain's Real National Debt
Britain's official national debt is already heading towards £3 trillion, but the real burden facing taxpayers is far higher. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's William Yarwood and Anne Strickland to discuss new TaxPayers' Alliance research into the real national debt, which highlights the government's true liabilities at £11.7 trillion, or almost four times the size of the UK economy. They examine why headline debt figures fail to capture the full scale of state pension promises, public-sector pensions, PFI commitments, and nuclear decommissioning costs. They also discuss how debt interest is swallowing ever more public money, why welfare spending is becoming impossible to ignore, and how political cowardice has left future taxpayers with an enormous bill.
- Aug 20, 202631 min
£660m Lost: Shock Cost of Council Sickness
Staff sickness and absence are costing councils millions, yet town halls keep demanding more money while too little attention is paid to lost working time and weak productivity. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's William Yarwood and Shimeon Lee to discuss new TaxPayers' Alliance research into sickness absence across UK local authorities, revealing the cost to council budgets and the impact on frontline services. They examine why absence rates vary so widely between councils, how mental health-related absence has become a growing pressure, and what high levels of staff sickness mean for residents already facing rising council tax bills. They also discuss the wider public sector sickness and productivity problem.
- Aug 13, 202628 min
Labour's War On Tourism
Tourist hotspots in Wales are about to be clobbered by the Welsh government's introduction of a holiday tax which will be levied against those wishing to stay overnight in a town or village. The TPA has been raising awareness of this pernicious tax in places like Conwy and Anglesey. Outside of Wales, the Labour government under Andy Burnham is introducing legislation that will enable regional mayors to levy a similar tax on overnight visitors to their towns and cities. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Benjamin Elks and Jonathan Eida to discuss the impact of such taxes and the devastating consequences it will have on UK tourism.
- Aug 6, 202629 min
Will Britain Ever Work Again?
There are over one million 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training. Commonly known as NEETs, this group in society is a strain on public finances and the taxpayer. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Shimeon Lee and Georgiana Bristol, chief executive at the Jobs Foundation. Together they discuss the challenges of getting NEETs and others into work. They also look at what can be done to make it easier for UK businesses to offer jobs to those wanting to start their working life and whether it is too easy for some to claim that they are unable to work.
- Jul 30, 202628 min
Exposing Britain's NHS Manager Fat Cats
The NHS keeps demanding more money, but patients are still stuck on waiting lists while senior managers take home bumper pay packets. Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Jonathan Eida and Anne Strickland to discuss the latest NHS Rich List, which reveals 574 NHS bosses now earn more than the prime minister and the number receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration has more than doubled in a year. They examine soaring executive pay, poor performance at some of the worst-performing trusts, and why ministers must follow through on promises to link pay to results. From A&E delays to referral-to-treatment waiting times, they ask whether taxpayers and patients are getting value for money from the NHS management class.
About a nation of taxpayers
A podcast from the Taxpayers' Alliance. Talking politics and highlighting waste in all forms of government and the public sector. Presented by Duncan Barkes with guests from the Taxpayers' Alliance and from across the world of politics.On X, follow the TaxPayers' Alliance @the_tpa More links and info here: https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/
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