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Our @the_tpa Town Hall Rich List 2026 - the 20th edition of this research - reveals a record 4,733 council employees received over £100,000 last year, including 320 who were paid more than the Prime Minister.
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Anne Strickland retweeted
"They won't reform welfare because it would cost them their jobs!"
@griffitha takes on Labour for the lack of welfare reform in the budget by using the TPA's benefits bill tool, which shows that over half of Labour MPs are in constituencies that have more PIP claimants than their electoral majority.
Anne Strickland retweeted
Healey is one of 210 Labour MPs who has more PIP claimants in his constituency than his majority.
And we wonder why they won't touch welfare reform with a barge pole.
Anne Strickland retweeted
In 1990, 1.7 million British people paid the 40% rate of income tax.
By 2027, almost 9 million are projected to pay higher or additional rates.
From roughly 1 in 15 income taxpayers to more than 1 in 5.
On Budget Day, it’s worth remembering that higher-rate tax has become an increasingly ordinary tax on aspiration.
Britain needs lower taxes & less government in our lives.
Anne Strickland retweeted
Wrong to say this is a "do no harm" Budget -
The doom loop of exploding welfare, record tax and a stagnating economy is doing GREAT harm.
Anne Strickland retweeted
True. As TPA analysis showed, 1 million more people are forecast to be dragged into new income tax bands in 2026-27 compared to 2025-26:
500,000 more people will pay the basic rate
410,000 more people will pay the higher rate
70,000 more people will pay the additional rate
It's worth remembering that stealth taxes will still be at the heart of this Budget
They represent the biggest tax rise in history
Income tax thresholds have been frozen now since 2021 and are due to remain frozen until April 2031
The cumulative freezes of freezing thresholds and allowances is expected to raise ***£67billion*** by 2030/31
The higher rate - which was once the preserve of the rich - is now the norm for millions of people
By 2030/31 5.2million people will have been brought into paying income tax, there will be 4.8million more higher rate taxpayers and 600,000 more additional rate taxpayers
A ***quarter*** of taxpayers will be higher rate or additional rate taxpayers
We've reached the stage where this huge tax raid is almost priced in every year, but it is far more significant than any other tax-raising measure on the scorecard
Paul Johnson, a former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: "We are talking many, many billions of pounds of tax rises over the decade. People who would 20 years ago have never imagined they would be higher-rate taxpayers are now higher-rate taxpayers."
Anne Strickland retweeted
She was presented badly in the media because she did a bad job, not because she's a woman.
Calling fair criticism sexism just sets women back.
John Healey becomes the 25th man to deliver a budget as U.K. chancellor, facing soaring inflation and mounting debt.
But was his predecessor Rachel Reeves judged on more than her economic record? Her ex-advisor Matt Pound thinks so.
🎙️Listen now 👉 politico.eu/podcast/westmins…
Anne Strickland retweeted
OUR RESPONSE TO THE BUDGET
Responding to the 2026 budget, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
“The chancellor has driven the tax burden to another record high to pay for gimmicks and giveaways while sidestepping the ticking fiscal time bomb of runaway benefits spending.
“Deciding to target savings and productive investment means even more punishment for people doing the right thing, and a drag on much-needed growth, while the fiddly measures designed to cut everyday bills gloss over the fact that tax is the biggest cost of living.
“Politicians must shake their spending addiction, get a grip on welfare and give hard-working Brits real breathing space by cutting their taxes.”
Anne Strickland retweeted
The Chancellor is set to raise the tax-free allowance for pensioners to £13,036, shielding nearly 1m from income tax.
Meanwhile, the allowance for working people remains frozen at £12,570 until 2031.
Britain's two-tier tax system.
Me in @CityAM👇
Anne Strickland retweeted
We're at the point where regime media is extolling the virtue of the regime removing import taxes on marmalade - in a country that makes most of the marmalade it consumes - which tells us that Britain's late-era-Soviet-Union feel is only increasing to a new level.
Chancellor John Healey will remove import taxes on marmalade, gherkins and more than 100 products in a move to give families "breathing space" with the cost of living in the Budget.
Peter Ruddick told #BBCBreakfast about other changes that will impact motorists, carers and self-employed fathers
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6d9…
Anne Strickland retweeted
Labour:
We’ll fail to defend the realm
Destroy the quality of your child’s education
Import people we need to print “Don’t rape” pamphlets for
Destroy the economy
Massively expand benefits for those who don’t need them
Be corrupt
BUT we won’t tax marmalade quite as much 🤡
Healey vows cheaper marmalade and gherkins in pre-Budget package of 'everyday fixes' bbc.in/4zTnQ4K
Anne Strickland retweeted
Student loans were sold to students as "you'll earn more, so it's only fair you pay some of that back towards your education cost"
Unless changed, of the five plans students are on - three of the repayment thresholds will now be *below* the minimum wage.
Anne Strickland retweeted
2025 Labour: we will raise the minimum wage and it'll have no impact on bussiness. 1000s of jobs are lost, 1000s more vacancies disappear, SMEs say they cannot afford the hike, businesses warn they are at breaking point.
2026 Labour: well that went swimmingly, let's do it again.
Anne Strickland retweeted
This says it all. Parliament has cancelled the debate planned for this evening on AI - because the debate beforehand on the Post Office is (like the post itself) taking too long. On the day Anthropic files for its IPO Britain is debating Victorian communications infrastructure
Anne Strickland retweeted
😩Ouch
Total benefits bill · £1,815 per resident · +18.4% in 2yrs
Median local wage: £39,471 (+1.5% in 2yrs)
benefitsdata.uk/mybill?local…
📈 Does the benefits bill matter?
💷 Great to meet with @yarwoodwilliam of @the_tpa at #BattleFest to discuss their new tool to see how much you’re paying in your area.
👉 See for yourself now: benefitsdata.uk
Anne Strickland retweeted
204 Labour MPs have more PIP claimants in their constituencies than their majority. Even the Welfare Secretary himself.
No wonder they won't touch the welfare bill. They're putting Benefits Street before hardworking taxpayers to save their seats at the next election.
@the_tpa 🎯
