The document below underscores the central role of the TaxPayers’ Alliance within the Conservative/libertarian right in the UK. The pressure group not only provides tediously repetitive quotes to lazy journalists (“this is a slap in the face for taxpayers blah blah” ) but organises regular off-the-record round table discussions for its right-wing friends.
Much of the guest list for the central-London symposiums reads like a Who’s Who of British Tea Party movement types drawn from politics, business, the blogosphere and think tanks. Daniel Hannan MEP, Douglas Carswell MP, Donal Blaney, Paul Staines (aka Guido Fawkes) all feature alongside less colourful characters such as YouGov founder Stephan Shakespeare, who chairs proceedings. The apparent presence of CCHQ’s Sam Coates and the Liberal Democrats’ former head of comms Mark Littlewood may cause some small embarrassment in the blue and yellow corners while a smattering of business types (including BP’s director of government affairs) provide a Bilderberg flavour to the meetings.
At the very least, it’s an interesting snapshot of the conservative right-wing hinterland in 2010 and yet another reason why the media should qualify statements from the “Rent-a-Quote Alliance”.
Let’s see what this throws up.
