13/05/2026
Our response to the King's Speech
Responding to the King’s Speech, John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
“Taxpayers will struggle to see the government’s legislative agenda as either ambitious or a break with the status quo.
“With frontline services continuing to falter and the tax burden hurtling towards a record high, the government seems to be more interested in expanding the quangocracy, pushing forward with nationalisation, and ignoring the ballooning welfare bill.
“This government’s programme wallows in the mire of mediocrity and perfectly encapsulates Keir Starmer’s time in office. Taxpayers deserve better.”
Responding to the introduction of an overnight visitors levy, Darwin Friend, research director of the TaxPayer’s Alliance said:
“Taxpayers will be dismayed to see that Mayors and unitary councils will be able to make family holidays more expensive.
“At a time when households are already struggling with the cost of living, piling extra charges onto overnight stays risks damaging tourism, hurting hospitality businesses and pricing more families out of taking a well deserved staycation.
“Instead of hammering holiday makers, the government should scrap these reforms before they do further damage to the sector.”"
