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Fabio Pukaj, Reform UK candidate for Hanger Hill ward in Ealing

Fabio Pukaj is the Reform UK candidate for Hanger Hill ward in Ealing, in the council by-election to be held on 10th October. We spoke with Fabio about his decision to stand.

“I’m driven by the hope of bringing that same spirit of possibility to Hanger Lane, with a vision of creating a community where everyone can reach their full potential”

Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run?

When I was 16, I took my first leap into running my own online business. It wasn’t just about making money; it was about learning how to truly connect with people and create meaningful opportunities. Alongside this, my summer job as a waiter taught me the grit and resilience needed to push through tough times.

These experiences have deeply shaped my understanding of how vital opportunities are and sparked a fire in me to help others find their own path to success. Now, at 21, I’m driven by the hope of bringing that same spirit of possibility to Hanger Lane, with a vision of creating a community where everyone can reach their full potential and live their best lives.

“Many residents are worried about crime, struggling with poverty, and feeling frustrated by too many rules that make life difficult”

You’re the candidate for Hanger Hill ward what are the main concerns in the area?

From a young age, I’ve been connected to Hanger Lane, not just geographically but through the relationships I’ve built and the time I’ve spent in the area. My experiences living close by have given me an understanding of what the community needs to thrive. Over the years, I’ve seen first hand how local issues like rising crime, limited opportunities, and unnecessary regulations have impacted the daily lives of residents.

These experiences have inspired me to run as a candidate with Reform UK, with a mission to create meaningful opportunities and build a safer, more prosperous Hanger Lane. I believe that together, we can unlock the full potential of our community, ensuring that it’s a place where everyone can feel secure, grow, and succeed.

Many residents are worried about crime, struggling with poverty, and feeling frustrated by too many rules that make life difficult. I’m running for you to help solve these problems on day one. I want to make Hanger Lane a place where people can walk home at night without looking over your shoulder, where you don’t have to worry about the threat of being harmed. A community where people feel secure, where children can play outside without fear, and where you’re not held back by unnecessary obstacles.

My goal is to build a Hanger Lane that supports you—where there are more opportunities, and where families can live peacefully and thrive without constant worry or fear.

“Ealing faces broader challenges, such as outdated infrastructure and limited access to essential resources. These issues affect all of us, and I am fully committed to tackling them head-on”

What do you see as the major issues more widely in Ealing and if elected what do you hope to champion?

The residents’ biggest concerns are mine too: rising crime, lack of support, and too many restrictions.

If I’m elected, I’ll work hard to reduce crime in our community, provide better support for those who need it, and get rid of rules that make life harder for residents and their families on day one. My focus is on listening to residents needs and delivering solutions that make a real difference in their everyday life.

Furthermore, Ealing faces broader challenges, such as outdated infrastructure and limited access to essential resources. These issues affect all of us, and I am fully committed to tackling them head-on. My vision is to breathe new life into our community, ensuring that everyone has the support and opportunities they deserve. Together, we can build the strongest, most united Ealing the world has ever seen, where every resident has the chance to succeed.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

If you’d like to share your ideas or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. I’m here for you and ready to act on what matters most to you.

UK stagnation: countries which have overtaken the UK since 2007.

The UK’s economy has stagnated since 2008. In terms of GDP per capita – economic output divided by the number of people in a country – we’ve actually gone backwards. Sam Bidwell gives an overview of the countries that the UK was richer than in 2007, but which have since overtaken us…

“None of this was inevitable. Our economic stagnation was the result of policy choices made by successive governments”

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Singapore GDP per Capita, 2007: $39,432
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Singapore GDP per Capita, 2023: $84,734

In 2007, the UK was richer than Singapore, southeast Asia’s Lion City – today, it is much, much poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • USA GDP per Capita, 2007: $48,050
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • USA GDP per Capita, 2023: $81,695

In 2007, the UK was (slightly) richer than the United States, the world’s economic superpower. Today, it is far poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Australia GDP per Capita, 2007: $41,051
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Australia GDP per Capita, 2023: $64,711

In 2007, the UK was richer than Australia, a world-leading mining economy. Today, it is much poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Austria GDP per Capita, 2007: $46,915
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Austria GDP per Capita, 2023: $56,506

In 2007, the UK was richer than Austria, a highly developed social market economy. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Belgium GDP per Capita, 2007: $44,319
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Belgium GDP per Capita, 2023: $53,475

“When you see crumbling infrastructure, poor public services, or stagnant job opportunities, you’re seeing these two lost decades of growth”

In 2007, the UK was richer than Belgium, a developed services economy and home of the EU. Today, it is poorer. {Editors note: Taking money from hard working citizens of the EU does help}.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Finland GDP per Capita, 2007: $48,467
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Finland GDP per Capita, 2023: $53,755

In 2007, the UK was richer than Finland, a powerhouse in electronics manufacturing. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Canada GDP per Capita, 2007: $44,659
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Canada GDP per Capita, 2023: $53,371

In 2007, the UK was richer than Canada, our oil-producing cousins across the Atlantic. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Germany GDP per Capita, 2007: $41,640
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Germany GDP per Capita, 2023: $52,745

In 2007, the UK was richer than Germany, Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • UAE GDP per Capita, 2007: $43,918
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • UAE GDP per Capita, 2023: $52,976

In 2007, the UK was richer than the UAE, the Gulf state which plays host to futuristic cities like Dubai. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Hong Kong GDP per Capita, 2007: $30,593
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Hong Kong GDP per Capita, 2023: $50,696

“it doesn’t have to be this way. We were richer than these world-leading economies before, and we can do it again”

In 2007, the UK was much richer than Hong Kong, East Asia’s financial services superpower. Today, it is poorer.

  • UK GDP per Capita, 2007: $50,397
  • Israel GDP per Capita, 2007: $25,633
  • UK GDP per Capita, 2023: $48,866
  • Israel GDP per Capita, 2023: $52,261

In 2007, the UK was much richer than Israel, the Middle East’s high-tech hub. Today, it is poorer.

None of this was inevitable. Our economic stagnation was the result of policy choices made by successive governments since 2008. Our broken planning system, expensive energy, and a risk-averse regulatory culture have all contributed to nearly two lost decades of growth.

When you see crumbling infrastructure, poor public services, or stagnant job opportunities, you’re seeing these two lost decades of growth. The point is that it doesn’t have to be this way. We were richer than these world-leading economies before, and we can do it again.

Principally, this requires two things from our politicians. Honesty – about why we are where we are, and how we got here. And ambition – about what Britain can, and should, be. We deserve to be a high-tech, high-growth, high-powered economy again.

That means getting the basics right – housing, energy, infrastructure, public order, migration. Let’s start building things again and stop relying on low-skilled labour. Dare to dream. We built the modern world before, and we can do it again. Anglofuturism now.

Reproduced with kind permission of Sam Bidwell, Director of the Next Generation Centre at the Adam Smith Institute, Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, although views are his own.  Sam can be found on X/Twitter, on Substack, and can be contacted at [email protected].  This article was originally published as a X/Twitter Thread at https://x.com/sam_bidwell/status/1832062722412015803.

Conversation with Stephen Balogh, of the New Culture Forum and SDP candidate in GE2024.

The New Culture Forum believe that cultural issues are the defining ones of our time.  They believe that too often our enemies and our opinion formers appear to agree that Western culture is indefensible or a source purely of shame.  The New Culture Forum has been challenging the cultural orthodoxies dominant in the media, academia, education, and wider British culture.

Join us on Wednesday 20th November for our drinks and conversation with Stephen Balogh the New Culture Forum National Organiser and candidate for the SDP in Ealing Central & Acton.  For drinks, a conversation and Q&A with Stephen about the New Culture Forum, cultural concerns and his experience running for parliament, come along Wednesday 20th November at 7pm.

This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.

Join us Upstairs, Whispers, 5 High St, Purley CR8 2AF on Wednesday 20th November, 7pm.

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/cG7Sxo2jN

Podcast Episode 94 – Sam Bidwell: Selling Economic Liberty

We are joined by Sam Bidwell, the Director of the Next Generation Centre at the Adam Smith Institute, as we discuss the challenges of selling economic liberty and free markets to younger people.

You can find out more on Sam at X/Twitter, and at his Substack. You can find the articles we discussed with Sam here https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/category/sam-bidwell/.

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Contents:

00:00 – Intro
01:40 – Next Generation Centre at the Adam Smith Institute
06:30 – Young people & free markets
15:00 – Selling economic liberty
19:40 – Policy ideas
24:10 – Thoughts on the new government
28:50 – Plans for the Next Generation Centre
31:16 – Website
33:30 – Events
35:08 – Outro

Dubai’s transformation: shrewd investments and a business-friendly environment

“Dubai’s remarkable growth is the product of shrewd investments, business-friendly tax and regulatory rules”

In just fifty years, Dubai has transformed from an obscure fishing village into a city of global significance.

Despite popular misconceptions, oil revenues contribute less than 1% of Dubai’s GDP today.  You read that right – unlike nearby Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s economy is not powered by oil revenues. In fact, Dubai’s remarkable growth is the product of shrewd investments, business-friendly tax and regulatory rules, and an uncompromising approach to political stability.

Modern Dubai was founded as a fishing village on the Persian Gulf at some point in the 18th century. Throughout the early 19th century, Dubai – as well as other neighbouring Gulf states – fell under British influence. In 1820, these small Gulf states fell under a British protectorate.

“In 1901, Sheikh Makhtoum bin Hasher Al Makhtoum established Dubai as a free port, with no tariffs on imports or exports”

As early as 1900, Dubai began to emerge as an important port. Its location at the mouth of the Persian Gulf made it ideal for trading into the Middle East, India, and East Africa. This geographic advantage, and its openness to commerce, has been the secret to Dubai’s success.

In 1901, Sheikh Makhtoum bin Hasher Al Makhtoum established Dubai as a free port, with no tariffs on imports or exports. Merchants, particularly those working in the pearl industry, were given parcels of land, guarantees of protection, and religious toleration.

In the first half of the 20th century, Dubai grew in importance as a hub for trade with Persia and India. However, the city’s position was supercharged with the emergence of a new leader. In 1957, Rashid bin Saeed Al Makhtoum succeeded his father to become ruler of Dubai.

Sheikh Rashid understood the young city’s potential. He set about transforming Dubai from a small coastal settlement into a modern port city. He also understood the keys to Dubai’s success – openness to trade, infrastructure investments, stability and order.

“In 1966, more gold was shipped from London to Dubai than almost anywhere in the world”

He set about creating private companies to build and operate infrastructure. In 1959, he established Dubai’s first telephone company; by 1961, it had rolled out an operational network. The city’s private water company established a regular supply of piped water by 1968.

By 1960, the city’s airport had opened, with flights operating across the Middle East. In 1963, the Sheikh opened the first bridge across Dubai Creek, paid for by tolls. The airport was expanded in 1965 to enable long-haul flights and was expanded again in 1970.

By the late 1960s, Dubai was also a hub for the global gold trade – much of which was based on the illegal sale of gold to India. In 1966, more gold was shipped from London to Dubai than almost anywhere in the world (only France and Switzerland took more).

And again, this is all before the discovery of oil. By the time that Dubai struck it rich in 1966, it was already a growing port, with a solid base of infrastructure and a low-tax, pro-business environment. Of course, the discovery of oil supercharged Sheikh Rashid’s vision.

“Roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools were constructed in a construction glut which propelled Dubai’s economy through the 1980s. As the old saying goes, build it and they will come”

But Sheikh Rashid had the foresight to know that one day, the oil would run out. He understood that one day, the city would need to survive without oil – and so set about making Dubai a world-leading hub for regional and international commerce.

In 1972, Port Rashid was constructed and in 1979, it was followed by the Port of Jebel Ali, today the busiest in the Middle East. In 1978, Sheikh Rashid opened the Dubai World Trade Centre. Dubai Creek was dredged and widened in the early 1970s. In 1983, Dubai Drydocks opened.

Meanwhile the city’s airport was expanded, and hotels were opened for business travellers. Roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools were constructed in a construction glut which propelled Dubai’s economy through the 1980s. As the old saying goes, build it and they will come.

This infrastructure-first approach was the foundational principle of Dubai’s pro-business policy environment. By leveraging the city’s geography and encouraging businesses to invest, Dubai made itself into one of the Middle East’s leading trade entrepôts.

The city sits at the mouth of the oil-rich Persian Gulf, with convenient maritime connections to Asia, Europe, and Africa. By air, more than 50% of the world’s population is 7 hours or less from Dubai – again, ideal geography for an international business hub.

“26 free trade zones, companies enjoy a 50-year corporation tax exemption, and no international tariffs. Many of these free trade zones use English common law”

However, it’s not just geography and infrastructure. Dubai has no income tax. Corporation tax is low at 9% – and in 26 free trade zones, companies enjoy a 50-year corporation tax exemption, and no international tariffs. Many of these free trade zones use English common law.

These zones create an extremely business-friendly environment – many international businesses have their regional or global HQs in Dubai. At the same time, the state invests in the infrastructure – roads, schools, hospitals – needed to keep business travellers coming.

And speaking of business travellers, Dubai – and the rest of the United Arab Emirates – is home to a large number of foreigners. In fact, 88% of the UAE’s population are expats. The territory’s tax-free status and world-leading infrastructure attracts high net-worth individuals.

However, unlike in Europe, immigrants in Dubai live under strict conditions. They do not benefit from state welfare and can be deported at any time. It is almost impossible to become a naturalised citizen. In return, migrants get to make far more money than they would at home.

This is particularly true for low-skilled migrants, often from South Asia, who come to the country under the so-called ‘kafala system’. Under the kafala system, all migrant workers need to have an Emirati sponsor – if their employment ends, so does their residence.

Which brings me onto the final aspect of Dubai’s success – law and order. The city has a zero-tolerance approach to crime and public disorder. The Dubai Police employs drones and has an average emergency response time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds, as of Q3 2023.

“Despite popular misconceptions, its rapid rise owes just as much to sensible policymaking as to oil. Not everybody can turn a patch of desert into a global megacity!”

Sheikh Rashid passed away in 1990. He was succeeded by his son, Maktoum, who ruled until 2006. In turn, Maktoum was succeeded by his brother Mohammed, who rules Dubai to this day. Though Dubai has grown considerably since Sheikh Rashid’s time, the basic principles are the same.

In many ways, the principles that built modern Dubai are the same as those that built Hong Kong, Singapore – or even, historically, London.

  • Openness to business
  • Ideal strategic positioning
  • Shrewd investments in infrastructure
  • Pragmatic governance
  • Law and order

Whatever you think of Dubai, the city’s growth is one of the most incredible stories of the 20th century.  Despite popular misconceptions, its rapid rise owes just as much to sensible policymaking as to oil. Not everybody can turn a patch of desert into a global megacity!

Yes, it really is true – as of today, less than 1% of Dubai’s GDP is generated by oil revenues. In fact, it’s commerce, financial services, real estate, and transportation that are the biggest drivers. The ultimate service economy!

Reproduced with kind permission of Sam Bidwell, Director of the Next Generation Centre at the Adam Smith Institute, Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, although views are his own.  Sam can be found on X/Twitter, on Substack, and can be contacted at [email protected].  This article was originally published as a X/Twitter Thread at https://x.com/sam_bidwell/status/1827802745740337507

Podcast Episode 93 – General Election 2024: How was it for you?

We recently held a public meeting in Purley and were joined by 2 local candidates from the recent General Election; Vinayak Malhotra, who stood for Reform UK in Croydon West and Damon Young, who stood for the SDP in Epsom & Ewell. We talked about their experiences of the campaign and their future plans.

You can find out more on Vinayak at https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/vinayak-malhotra-reform/ and more on Damon at https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/damon-young-sdp/.

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The Freedom Association campaign day – 7th September, Epsom

The Freedom Association the non-partisan, centre-right, classically liberal campaign group, is holding a campaign day in Epsom on Saturday 7th September.  The plan for the day is to hand out leaflets (images below) in support of their campaign to challenge the erosion of civil liberties and in support of individual liberty and freedom of expression.

Join us meeting outside The Assembly Rooms (147–153 High Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8EH) at 10:30am and we will break up into groups around the town depending on numbers, stay as long as you can but we are finishing no later than 1pm, and anyone is welcome to join us for a drink.

Come along Saturday 7th September in Epsom for 10:30am outside The Assembly Rooms.  We only ask that you wear no party colours or badges as The Freedom Association has cross-party support.

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/5tNLRg0g0

Photo and Video from the day:

Find out more at https://www.tfa.net/ and become a member at https://www.tfa.net/become_a_member_renew_your_membership.

Main image includes work from Cristian Bortes from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Spring in Epsom.

Private security and the law enforcement gap

Sam Bidwell writes on the UK’s law enforcement crisis – and the signs that private security is emerging to fill the gap.

“In 2022, 89.2% of bike theft cases across England went unsolved, rising to 93% of thefts in London”

Alongside defence and border security, maintaining law and order is one of the first duties of any state – but in the UK today, many laws are just not being enforced. When we talk about law and order in the UK, we often talk about a few distinct but related issues: – softening of the law around some crimes

  • soft sentences
  • inaccurate data reporting
  • generalised disorder
  • non-enforcement of the law

I want to focus on the latter.

In May 2024, London’s Met Police announced that it would no longer be policing fare evasion on London buses. “Since this incident happened, we have stopped our involvement in supporting Transport for London fare evasion operations.”  December 2023 research revealed that the Met Police attended just 44% of shoplifting reports between April 2022 and April 2023 – the rate has not been above 50% since 2018.

“police failed to solve a single burglary over the past three years in half of neighbourhoods in England and Wales”

In 2022-23, Home Office statistics show that the Met Police failed to solve 82 percent of burglaries in London. Just 8 percent of London burglaries during this period resulted in a suspect being charged or summoned – we can assume that the conviction rate is even lower.  In 2022, 89.2% of bike theft cases across England went unsolved, rising to 93% of thefts in London. In Surrey, just 0.81% of bike theft cases resulted in a suspect being charged.

According to March 2024 research, police failed to solve a single burglary over the past three years in half of neighbourhoods in England and Wales. This comes despite an October 2022 promise from all 43 police chiefs across England and Wales to “attend every break-in”.

In 2023, police failed to attend 72 percent of car thefts – an increase of 32 percent since 2021. In Cambridgeshire, a full 90 percent of car thefts reports were not attended by an officer – in Bedfordshire that figure was 88 percent.

“the Co-op has reported that assaults on staff have increased by almost 30 percent, with 20 percent more anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse”

The police’s own data shows that, as of 2023, around 90 percent of all crime goes unsolved, rising from around 75 percent in 2015. This figure includes more than 30,000 sex offences, 330,000 violent crimes, 320,000 cases of criminal damage, and 1.5 million thefts.

According to February 2024 research, police failed to attend 40 percent of violent shoplifting incidents in 2023. This comes as the Co-op has reported that assaults on staff have increased by almost 30 percent, with 20 percent more anti-social behaviour and verbal abuse.

“The police are no longer consistently enforcing the law – particularly in cases of property crime, but increasingly in terms of low-level violent crime too”

Finally, across London, 250 phones a day are stolen – one every six minutes. In theory, the Met Police’s ‘Operation Venice’ is designed to crack down on phone snatching – but there’s no public information about the current state of that operation.  Pulling together these individual data points, what do we see? The police are no longer consistently enforcing the law – particularly in cases of property crime, but increasingly in terms of low-level violent crime too. This isn’t just a London problem, either.

This is especially audacious given the efforts made by police in recent weeks to crack down on ‘hate speech’ and improper political activism. They don’t have the resources to protect businesses from theft, but they do have the resources to put people in jail for sharing memes.

This leaves ordinary people subject to the tyranny of criminality – criminal disorder is just as tyrannical as any overbearing state. One of the results of this is a rise in private security use, particularly from businesses who know that they can no longer rely on the police.

“According to the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the UK will need 62,000 new security officers over the next 12 months to keep up with growing demand”

My Local Bobby, a security firm established by two former Met Police officers, served 12 residential areas and four “public realm beats” as of May 2023, with a focus on property crime. Households pay around £100 to £200 a month for this additional protection.

According to the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), the UK will need 62,000 new security officers over the next 12 months to keep up with growing demand. BSIA estimates that a total of 450,000 licensed security professionals could be in operation by the end of 2024.

In a January 2024 poll, 6 in 10 UK adults trust private security professionals, while 7 in 10 say that private security professionals are necessary to maintain public order. An April 2024 poll, on the other hand, showed that just 4 in 10 Britons trust the police.  In the absence of a capable state police force, many businesses – and some individuals – are turning to private provision. Let me be clear – this is not a good thing! The expanding role of private security is a sign of withering state capacity.

“The early warning signs are there – including the growth in private security and the rise of gated and quasi-gated communities”

In countries where disorder is common – like South Africa, Nigeria, or Brazil -, private security is a fact of life. Nevertheless, these private security firms often operate under strict regulatory conditions, even while the state’s policing capacity continues to decline.

While Britain’s situation is not nearly as severe as Brazil or South Africa, we are experiencing a decline in law and order. The early warning signs are there – including the growth in private security and the rise of gated and quasi-gated communities.

We must resource our police force properly, enabling them to enforce the law consistently. Even John Cowperthwaite, Hong Kong’s famously laissez-faire Financial Secretary, understood the importance of a police force able to enforce order and protect property.

“The hard realities of keeping the peace between man and man and between authority and the individual can be more accurately described if the phrase were inverted to “order and law”, for without order the operation of law is impossible.” – Lee Kuan Yew, 1963

Reproduced with kind permission of Sam Bidwell, Director of the Next Generation Centre at the Adam Smith Institute, Associate Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, although views are his own.  Sam can be found on X/Twitter, on Substack, and can be contacted at [email protected].  This article was originally published as a X/Twitter Thread at https://x.com/sam_bidwell/status/1824079066804146582.

Main image: Southbanksteve, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Could there be a worse idea for Croydon?

“Instead of squeezing businesses they should scrap wasteful spending if they want to fix their finances.”

The Sun and Mail reported recently that Croydon Council is considering charging drivers to use their free company parking spaces.

The proposal is to implement the workplace parking levy in Croydon, and impose it on businesses with 11 or more privately owned spaces.  The scheme is intended to reduce the use of private vehicles and raise revenue for our (de facto) bankrupt borough.

Benjamin Elks, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance summed this proposal up by saying “Instead of squeezing businesses they should scrap wasteful spending if they want to fix their finances.”

“Just as people are returning to offices the worst thing Croydon could do is put people off going back to the town centre with more tax”

As any visitor to Croydon town centre will be aware, the Whitgift Centre once the heart of the borough is hollowed out, and many offices have closed.  Many people no longer visit the town centre due to the lack of shops and evening entertainment, and the ongoing problem of crime.

Just as people are returning to offices the worst thing Croydon could do is put people off going back to the town centre with more tax.

Perhaps as an alternative the council should have cut more unnecessary spending.

“There is no more expensive thing than a free gift”

Borough of Culture

As I’ve written about before between April 2023 and March 2024, Croydon was the London Borough of Culture.  For which the council committed to spending £975,000, with £1,350,000 coming from the GLA, and £1,900,000 expected from Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage.

Even for the money funded by other agencies this is still taxpayer funds being wasted away on what, posters at train stations?  I can’t remember much else.  Whether you prefer the Japanese proverb “There is nothing more expensive than something free” or French renaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne’s, “There is no more expensive thing than a free gift”, you can be sure that Croydon council taxpayers picked up costs for events even when supposedly ‘funded’ by other agencies.

When you see your council tax rise 15%, flat income tax allowances erode your earnings, local services reduce and winter fuel payments for pensioners go, remember those posters about the Borough of Culture.  You can also decide if these payments from the councils “Borough of Culture” cost centre were a good use of your taxes.

Total funds over £500 paid out by Croydon Council for “Borough of Culture” £2,527,404.02.

Table of vendors paid over £1000.

Vendor NameTotal Payments May22 – May24
Redacted£428,787.70
Stanley Arts£266,875.39
London Mozart Players£145,762.50
Turf Projects_£145,000.00
White Label Publishing Ltd£136,468.60
Talawa Theatre Company£136,000.00
Think Events (London) Ltd£121,551.67
BH Live Ltd£107,500.00
Savvy Theatre£73,500.00
Four Communications Ltd£65,597.66
The Brit School£65,000.00
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH LIMITED T/A The Circus£60,628.00
Fashion Meets Music Collective C.I.C.£50,750.00
Croydon Town Centre Bid£45,000.00
Dance Umbrella£45,000.00
Theatre – Rites£42,000.00
Scanners Inc£41,000.00
Zoo Co Theatre Ltd£35,497.31
Apsara Arts£32,475.00
Jen Kavanagh Ltd£31,309.05
Boundless Theatre£30,000.00
Contemporary Dance Trust LTD£29,000.00
STRANGE CARGO ARTS COMPANY LIMITED£28,410.00
CR34 t/a Mr Fox£28,000.00
Achates Philanthropy Limited£22,725.00
Croydon Pride Ltd£20,000.00
Sound Intervention Limited£13,920.00
Croydonites/CROYDONITES FESTIVAL OF NEW THEATRE CIC£13,600.00
Llama Digital Ltd£11,520.00
4 Wise Monkeys Ltd T/A Light Up Trails£11,422.00
Bold Mellon Collective C.I.C.£10,500.00
Profile Security Services Ltd£10,395.52
Beeja£10,000.00
YeahPod Music£10,000.00
New Addington Peoples’ Carnival£10,000.00
Designblock Studio Ltd£9,895.00
Sysco Productions Ltd£9,793.00
ATMA£9,700.00
Premm Design Limited£8,911.50
Jonathan Samuels T/A Samprojects£8,475.40
The Young Urban Arts Foundation Limited£7,790.00
Anglia Sign Casting ltd£7,385.50
HURLYBURLY THEATRE£6,750.00
Worldbeaters LTD£6,690.00
CLUB SODA_£6,590.00
Bureau Of Silly Ideas Limited£6,000.00
Learn to Dream Ltd£5,511.00
E-People.Com Ltd£5,100.00
London Road Business Ltd£5,000.00
Croydon with Talent Ltd£5,000.00
Good Wolf People Ltd£5,000.00
Tiny Productions£4,760.00
LYNNEBEC COLLECTIVE CIC£4,700.00
Norwood JunKAction£4,500.00
Drum the Bass£3,800.00
Cat and Hutch£3,760.00
Tribal Entertainment Limited t/a the Romano Sidoli consultancy£3,750.00
QWERKY ENTERTAINMENT LTD£3,320.00
Finesse Foreva Ltd£3,300.00
Pif-Paf Theatre Ltd£3,290.00
BH Live Enterprises Ltd£3,018.75
Hoggs Hospitality Ltd£3,000.00
Graeme Miall t/a One Tree£3,000.00
LadyLaird£2,500.00
Digital Drama Productions Ltd£2,250.00
ATELIER ARZU LIMITED£2,120.00
Paul Hudson Associates£2,100.00
The Enriched Kids CIC£2,000.00
SDNA LTD£2,000.00
Zip Design Ltd£1,950.00
Rap Therapy£1,950.00
Giant Cheese Limited£1,847.00
Studio Scamps ltd£1,650.00
Bainbridge Conservation Ltd.£1,616.00
Autistic Community Hub CIC£1,200.00
Vauxhall City Farm Limited£1,188.50
Reaching Higher£1,100.00
Clocktower Cafe Ltd£1,084.00

“When you see your council tax rise 15%, flat income tax allowances erode your earnings, local services reduce and winter fuel payments for pensioners go, remember those posters about the Borough of Culture”

Vendor name redacted payments over £10,000.

Payment DateVendor NameAmount
12-Sep-23Redacted£60,000.00
14-Aug-23Redacted£47,548.00
11-Oct-23Redacted£46,000.00
07-Aug-23Redacted£30,000.00
26-Jan-23Redacted£24,000.00
22-Jan-24Redacted£15,600.00
28-May-24Redacted£10,600.00
08-Feb-23Redacted£10,000.00
21-Jun-23Redacted£10,000.00
11-Oct-23Redacted£10,000.00
18-Dec-23Redacted£10,000.00

Podcast Episode 92 – Tim Scott: The Outlook for Freedom

We are joined by Tim Scott, The Executive Director of The Freedom Association, who gives us his thoughts on the General Election result and the outlook for freedom in this country and further afield.

For more on The Freedom Association, to https://www.tfa.net/ and follow Tim at https://twitter.com/TimScottUK.

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Contents:
00:00 – Intro
02:05 – General Election Result
08:25 – Labour Government
18:00 – Key Issues for freedom
22:00 – Freedom Internationally
24:10 – TFA’s Plans
30:46 – Website & Events
32:24 – Outro