John O’Connell

John O’Connell is chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

Please, Rachel Reeves, define ‘austerity’

What is a working person? This is the question Keir Starmer and other members of his Cabinet struggled to answer over the past week or so. Labour’s flip-flopping is in many ways emblematic of the clash between political rhetoric and fiscal reality. And there is another term that is probably much harder to define, one

Stonewall and the problem with taxpayer funded campaigning

Liz Truss, the minister for women and equalities, is reportedly keen to see government departments withdraw from Stonewall’s ‘Diversity Champions’ programme. The scheme, which around 250 departments and public bodies have signed up to, sees quangos and other public sector bodies pay for guidance on issues such as gender-neutral toilets, pronouns, and transgender inclusion. Debates