Levelling up plans risk ‘wasting cash’ on ‘patronising’ policies, argue free market campaigners
A free market campaign group has warned that the government’s levelling up strategy risks “wasting” taxpayers’ money on “patronising” policies.
Levelling up secretary Michael Gove launched the white paper on the government’s flagship policy to tackle regional inequality in the Commons this afternoon.
Responding to the government’s “12 point mission” on levelling up, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With the record tax burden squeezing hard working Brits, the best way to level up is by allowing families and firms to keep more of their own money and giving them more say over how their taxes are spent.”
He did however suggest that the further “devolving” of decisions was welcome, but that “wasting cash on obesity campaigns and cultural quangos is more of the same patronising policy ideas which mollycoddle the public and end up costing the very people they’re trying to help a fortune in taxes.”
“As we emerge from the pandemic, ministers must resist the temptation for endless interference and instead cut taxes and red tape to allow working taxpayers and their communities to flourish,” he went on.
