Shows / a nation of taxpayers
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/
Episodes
a nation of taxpayersThe BBC and its sinister new funding plan
The BBC Charter expires at the end of 2027 and negotiations are taking place about the future funding of the BBC. One proposal is to force users of streaming…
a nation of taxpayersLabour's Much Ado About Nothing Budget
John Healey's first budget is finally over, and, to be quite honest, the TPA team were not too impressed. From stealth taxes to freebies, this budget fiddled…
a nation of taxpayersWhat Healey Needs To Do At The Budget
Britain's public finances are under growing strain, with high debt, a heavier interest burden, weaker productivity growth, and mounting pressure to spend more…
a nation of taxpayersUK's latest Budgetary Black Hole: What Now?
Chancellor John Healey needs to find £35 billion by 2030–31 if he is to keep his spending promises. Yet despite Treasury briefings hinting at a low-key fiscal…
a nation of taxpayersUK's Fiscal Problem: Worse Than the 1970s...
Britain's public finances are under growing strain, with debt close to twice the level seen during the 1976 fiscal crisis, a heavier interest burden, weaker…
a nation of taxpayersBenefits Britain Is Out of Control
Britain's welfare bill is set to climb above £400 billion by the end of the decade, while disability benefits linked to mental health have more than doubled in…
a nation of taxpayersIt'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…
a nation of taxpayersThe 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…
a nation of taxpayersGrowth 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…
a nation of taxpayersThe 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…
a nation of taxpayers£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…
a nation of taxpayersLabour'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…
a nation of taxpayersWill 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…
a nation of taxpayersExposing 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…
a nation of taxpayersWill Burnham Bankrupt Britain?
Britain is already weighed down by record taxes, soaring debt interest and a bloated state that politicians seem unwilling to reform. Now Andy Burnham has…
a nation of taxpayersIs It Time to Scrap the Equality Act?
The Equality Act was sold as a tidy-up of existing anti-discrimination law. But has it instead transformed Britain's understanding of equality, freedom and…
a nation of taxpayersThe Truth About Being a Councillor
Britain's councils are responsible for everything from social care and bin collections to potholes, planning and council tax. But with local authority debt now…
a nation of taxpayersWill Burnham Break British Business?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Lance Forman - businessman and former MEP. Lance runs the renowned H. Forman & Son salmon smokery in London. He was a…
a nation of taxpayersBuilding The Next Gen Of Free Marketeers
For decades, the free-market movement relied on newspapers, think tanks and political institutions to make the case for lower taxes, limited government and…
a nation of taxpayersThe Case for Mass Migration Has Collapsed
For years, politicians and so-called experts insisted that mass migration was an economic necessity, dismissing concerns about pressure on public services…
a nation of taxpayersIs Britain Heading For an IMF Bailout?
Britain's borrowing is spiralling, debt interest costs remain painfully high and warnings about the state of the public finances are growing louder. With the…
a nation of taxpayersAnti-Terror Scheme With No Taxpayer scrutiny
Prevent spends £36 million a year, but the TaxPayers' Alliance's latest research raises serious questions about whether taxpayers can properly see where that…
a nation of taxpayersReeves Wants to Tax Your Family Holiday
Labour-backed holiday taxes could leave families paying hundreds of pounds more for a UK break, piling yet another burden onto households already squeezed by…
a nation of taxpayersThe Real Reason for Recessions
What actually causes recessions? Are economic downturns inevitable, or are they the result of political mistakes and bad policy decisions? And when one economy…
a nation of taxpayersIs This The Death Of The Uniparty?
With the local election results fully in, podcast host Duncan Barkes sat down with the TPA's William Yarwood and The Critic's Political Editor to ask one…
a nation of taxpayersAre Unions Crippling Britain?
Are trade unions holding Britain back? Why are taxpayers funding trade union facility time? Should workers in critical public services be allowed to strike?…
a nation of taxpayersWhen Will Borrowing Break Britain?
Is Britain addicted to borrowing? Why is the national debt continuing to climb despite record tax levels? What can actually be done to solve it? Podcast host…
a nation of taxpayersESG Is Strangling Our Military & Your Pension
Is ESG quietly draining your pension and pushing up your bills? In this episode of A Nation of Taxpayers, Duncan Barkes is joined by Jonathan Eida of the…
a nation of taxpayersExposing Britain's Greediest Councils
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Callum McGoldrick and Shimeon Lee to go through this year's Town Hall Rich List. This infamous annual piece…
a nation of taxpayersHow Reeves Is Rinsing You in the new tax year
Awful April has arrived. As chancellor Rachel Reeves's Autumn Budget measures take effect, the UK faces a wave of tax hikes and ambitious spending commitments…
a nation of taxpayersIs Net Zero Crippling Our Country?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Jonathan Eida and Maurice Cousins from Net Zero Watch to talk about energy security, rising fuel prices and…
a nation of taxpayersHas Reform UK Returned To Thatcherite Roots?
Is Reform returning to its free-market roots? Podcast host Duncan Barkes sits down with the TPA's Elliot Keck and the Deputy Editor of CapX, Joe Dinnage, to…
a nation of taxpayersWhat Is the Great Realignment?
What is the new divide in politics? How did it happen? Why are unlikely coalitions being formed? Dr Stephen Davies, Senior Education Fellow at the Institute of…
a nation of taxpayersCan London Be Saved?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood chat to Laila Cunningham - Reform UK's London mayoral candidate. With the London local elections taking…
a nation of taxpayersSectarian politics will rip Britain apart
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Callum McGoldrick are joined by Conservative MP Esther McVey. They discuss the disturbing rise in sectarian politics…
a nation of taxpayersWhat Can Be Done About Benefits Britain?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Anne Strickland are joined by Caroline Elsom who is Head of Government Reform at the Onward think tank. They discuss…
a nation of taxpayersDoes Starmer Have Contempt For Local Democracy?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Darwin Friend and Elliot Keck from the TPA to discuss the government abandoning its plans to cancel council elections…
a nation of taxpayersFreedom vs The Nanny State
Why do politicians keep passing nanny-state policies? Who benefits from them? And why are anti-freedom lobby groups funded by taxpayers' money? On A Nation of…
a nation of taxpayersWas Brexit Betrayed?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Anne Strickland are joined by Catherine McBride OBE - trade adviser, economist and media commentator. They talk about…
a nation of taxpayersAndrew Rosindell MP: Being Right-Wing in 2026.
What does it mean to be right-wing in 2026? Is Reform the best outlet for the right? How did the Conservatives fail on Chagos and lockdown? Andrew Rosindell MP…
a nation of taxpayersCan Britain's Democracy Survive Mass Immigration?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck are joined in the studio by Emma Trimble - writer, broadcaster and fellow at The New Culture Forum. They…
a nation of taxpayersWinning campaigns with Lord Matthew Elliott
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, for a wide-ranging conversation with Lord Matthew Elliott -…
a nation of taxpayersMake or break time for the SDP
In the first episode of 2026 - podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Will Yarwood of the TPA. Their guest is William Clouston, leader of the Social…
a nation of taxpayersAddressing A National Footballing Scandal
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Jonathan Eida for this episode where the learn about a footballing national scandal. Duncan and Jonathan meet…
a nation of taxpayersOur 2025 Awards
The fizz was flowing as podcast host Duncan Barkes was joined in the studio by four guests for our 2025 Awards. Joining Duncan are Elliot Keck and Anne…
a nation of taxpayersCan the Tories get back the working class vote?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood chat to Clark Vasey, co-founder and director of Blue Collar Conservatism. They discuss the Conservative…
a nation of taxpayersThe BBC's Very Public Breakdown
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Callum McGoldrick are joined by Rebecca Ryan from Defund The BBC. Together they discuss the latest revelations that…
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BUDGET 2025: Reeves' Benefits Bonanza
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Darwin Friend and Reem Ibrahim, Head of Media at the Institute of Economic Affairs, to react to today's…
a nation of taxpayersIs It The End Of The Great British Pub?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck are joined by Emma McClarkin OBE, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association. With next…
a nation of taxpayersEnd This Nonsense of Taxing People To Pay Debt Interest
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Darwin Friend are joined by economist Professor Tim Congdon CBE. Tim is one of the world's leading monetary analysts…
a nation of taxpayersIs It Ever Possible To Fix The Tax System?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck chat to Daniel Herring, Head of Economic and Fiscal Policy at The Centre for Policy Studies. They discuss…
a nation of taxpayersWhat Do Businesses Really Think About Rachel Reeves?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Darwin Friend leave the podcast studio and record this week's episode on location in Essex. They head to Adventure…
a nation of taxpayersWhere Have All The Conservatives Gone?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck are joined by Mark Littlewood, Director of Popular Conservatism. They discuss why Popular Conservatism was…
a nation of taxpayersIs A Tory Bounce Back Possible?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Will Yarwood and Henry Hill, Deputy Editor of Conservative Home. They discuss the future of the Conservative…
a nation of taxpayersShadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride LIVE in Manchester
This is a special live recording from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester to celebrate the first year of our 'A Nation of Taxpayers' podcast…
a nation of taxpayersIs this the 1970s all over again? LIVE RECORDING
This episode is a live recording in front of an audience at 55 Tufton Street, SW1. Podcast host Duncan Barkes was joined by two excellent guests: Sir John…
a nation of taxpayersAre We 2 Months Away From Economic Disaster?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Will Yarwood and Darwin Friend from the TPA. With the Budget scheduled for 26 November, they chew over the recent ONS…
a nation of taxpayersWhere is Britain heading politically?
Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined this week by John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance. Their guest is renowned political consultant…
a nation of taxpayersFrom the Reform UK Conference in Birmingham
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood talk to those who attended the Reform UK Conference in Birmingham. This episode features contributions…
a nation of taxpayersAndrew Griffith MP on Inheritance Tax, Farage & the ECHR
Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck chat with Andrew Griffith - Shadow Business Secretary and MP for Arundel and South Downs. They discuss the…