a nation of taxpayers

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, for a wide-ranging conversation with Lord Matthew Elliott - one of Britain's most influential campaigners. Lord Elliott founded both the TaxPayers' Alliance and Big Brother Watch, and was the Chief Executive of Vote Leave during the EU referendum. Now a Conservative peer in the House of Lords and Pr...

In the first episode of 2026 - podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Will Yarwood of the TPA.  Their guest is William Clouston, leader of the Social Democratic Party.  William talks about the origins and history of the party and outlines some of their current policies.  He also says the next general election will be "make or Break" for the SDP.  

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Jonathan Eida for this episode where the learn about a footballing national scandal.  Duncan and Jonathan meet John Stiles, former footballer and campaigner, to hear more about his campaign to get justice and support for ex-players suffering from the effects of neurodegenerative diseases caused by repeatedly heading the ball.  John is the son of No...

The fizz was flowing as podcast host Duncan Barkes was joined in the studio by four guests for our 2025 Awards.  Joining Duncan are Elliot Keck and Anne Strickland from the TPA, along with Joe Dinnage from CapX and Matthew Bowles from the Prosperity Institute.  There's top banter and political predictions as the guests make their nominations for a variety of categories including Legend Of The Year...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood chat to Clark Vasey, co-founder and director of Blue Collar Conservatism.  They discuss the Conservative Party's role in representing those that work for a living and are classed as blue collar or white collar workers. Clark also explains his motivation for setting up Blue Collar Conservatism in 2012 and why it has never been more important for...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Callum McGoldrick are joined by Rebecca Ryan from Defund The BBC.  Together they discuss the latest revelations that have rocked the BBC to the core and which resulted in the resignation of Director General Tim Davie.  They also discuss the clear examples of journalistic bias and what should happen next to the corporation. 

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Darwin Friend and Reem Ibrahim, Head of Media at the Institute of Economic Affairs, to react to today's Budget. 

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck are joined by Emma McClarkin OBE, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association.  With next week's Budget being pivotal to the survival of the UK hospitality sector, they discuss the increasing costs to pubs and breweries that are seeing many of them struggle.  Emma outlines what the Chancellor could do to better support pubs and Ellio...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Darwin Friend are joined by economist Professor Tim Congdon CBE.  Tim is one of the world's leading monetary analysts and advised the 1979 to 1997 Conservative government on economic policy.  They discuss the lack of monetary understanding at the Bank of England and at the Treasury and what needs to happen to get the UK economy back on track. 

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck chat to Daniel Herring, Head of Economic and Fiscal Policy at The Centre for Policy Studies.  They discuss this week's speeches about the economy by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Reform UK's Nigel Farage.  The CPS, along with other groups, has just joint published a document called 'Tax Reforms for Growth' and Daniel talks Duncan and Elliot throu...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Darwin Friend leave the podcast studio and record this week's episode on location in Essex.   They head to Adventure Island in Southend to meet with Philip Miller MBE who is Executive Chairman of Adventure Island. Philip is a successful local businessman and gives Duncan and Darwin his thoughts on how this government has damaged the UK's business sector. He...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck are joined by Mark Littlewood, Director of Popular Conservatism.  They discuss why Popular Conservatism was set up, the current political landscape and the need for radical thinking to stop a borrowing and spending economic disaster.  Mark also explains his political journey from former Chief Press Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats to his curr...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Will Yarwood and Henry Hill, Deputy Editor of Conservative Home.  They discuss the future of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch's conference speech and whether the party's obsession with Margaret Thatcher is doing it any favours. 

This is a special live recording from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester to celebrate the first year of our 'A Nation of Taxpayers' podcast.  Recorded in front of a live audience in the TPA Think Tent, podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by TPA Chief Executive John O'Connell as they chat with Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride about his planned £47billion savings policy which he had ju...

This episode is a live recording in front of an audience at 55 Tufton Street, SW1. Podcast host Duncan Barkes was joined by two excellent guests: Sir John Redwood - MP for Wokingham between 1987 and 2024. John was also Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit under Margaret Thatcher.  Mike Denham, a former Treasury and City economist who is also a former chairman of the TPA. They discuss the UK's cur...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Will Yarwood and Darwin Friend from the TPA.  With the Budget scheduled for 26 November, they chew over the recent ONS and OECD figures with an eye on what it might mean for the UK's economy.  They also look at the latest paper from the Labour-affiliated Resolution Foundation think-tank which contains proposals on how to get more cash from the taxpayer.  

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined this week by John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance. Their guest is renowned political consultant James Frayne. James founded and ran the Public First research agency between 2016 and 2025.  They discuss where the country is heading politically and James gives some fascinating insights into how the attitudes of voters are changing when it co...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood talk to those who attended the Reform UK Conference in Birmingham. This episode features contributions from: Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former Conservative MP and Cabinet member. Councillor Saffron Sims-Brydon who sits as a Reform councillor on Durham County Council Russell Quirk who is a Reform UK candidate in the forthcoming Hutton South by-ele...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Elliot Keck chat with Andrew Griffith - Shadow Business Secretary and MP for Arundel and South Downs.  They discuss the Prime Minister's latest 'reset', the state of UK business under Labour and whether Andrew supports quitting the ECHR. Andrew also gives his view on inheritance tax, the threat of Reform UK and whether the triple-lock on pensions is sustain...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Callum McGoldrick are joined by Dr Tim Aker to talk about his book 'The First Brexiteer - The Diaries Of Sir Neil Marten 1970-1979' .  Sir Neil was a Conservative MP and a leading opponent of the European Economic Community and served as a minister under Margaret Thatcher. 

It's a Clash Of the Tax Titans!  This week, podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by 4 people in the TPA podcast studio who are making their pitch as to the tax they think is the most hated and that must be scrapped.  They all have 2 minutes to make their case, then are cross examined by others in the studio.  A vote will then take place to determine the most despised tax.  Who and what will win? T...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined this week by Joanna Marchong, the TPA's Investigations Campaign Manager.  Their guest this week is Paul Wiltshire - education campaigner and author of 'Why Is The Average Graduate Premium Falling?' They discuss whether students are getting value for money from the country's universities and if the debt incurred in studying for a degree is still worth it when it...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by the TPA's Elliot Keck.  Their guest is cultural campaigner and commentator Zewditu Gebreyohanes.  She is a former director of Restore Trust - the pressure group that aims to get the National Trust to return to basics.  Zewditu also wrote a report earlier this year entitled 'A shell of its former self - Is The National Trust Being Mismanaged?'  They discuss t...

Podcast host Duncan Barkes is joined by Shimeon Lee, Policy Analyst at the TPA.  Their guest this week is Kristian Niemietz, Editorial Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs.   They chat about the recent strike by resident doctors and also whether the time has come to privatise the NHS.   

Podcast host Duncan Barkes and the TPA's Will Yarwood are joined by Gawain Towler, former Head of Press for UKIP, The Brexit Party and Reform UK.  They talk about Reform UK's first year in Parliament and Gawain's departure from the party, along with his thoughts on Rupert Lowe, Ben Habib and Zia Yusuf.  There's also chat about the this year's local election results, waistcoats and churches.