OPEN LETTER TO GEORGE OSBORNE


Dear George,

I read in this mornings Guardian that you are seeking to identify a further £10bn in cuts to government spending and finding this difficult. Well being a public spirited sort of chap and willing to do whatever I can to help a fellow in trouble I decided to see what I could do to help. George I have to say I don’t think you can have been trying, in ten minutes I found the follow areas where you could save well in excess of £10bn.  


1) The estimated total annual cost of the monarchy to taxpayers is £202.4m.[1] Now as you keep saying, things are tight, that ‘we are all in this together.’ Surely even you can see that this is, now how can I put this delicately, a trifle excessive. Cut this allowance in half not only to you prove you democratic credentials but you’ve just found £101.2 million behind the metaphorical sofa.[2]

2) The total acquisition cost of the Trident programme £9.8 billion, this does not include the cost of upgrading. Now you, and any sensible member of the government knows that this is purely a piece of symbolic macho nonsense. It makes us ‘feel’ like a great power but offers no real benefits. Leaving to one side the moral case for ditching the thing, do so and you’ve bagged you 10b in one fell swoop.

3) Tax avoidance costs UK economy £69.9 billion a year. Can you go some way to recovering this, well George I’ve not seen much evidence thus far but I’m sure if you tried you could do better. Try getting up earlier in the morning instead of hiding behind the bedroom curtains, roll your sleeves up. Get all those Government lawyers that were so helpful during Leveson on the job. Even if you only claw back half of this that would give you nearly £35b to play with. Can I suggest you use it to build housing for low cost rent?

As I say this took me just ten minutes. (Don’t worry George I won’t be billing you). Which feels a little disappointing as it suggests that you are sleeping on the job. So wake up George, go to it and remember ‘he who dares wins!’


Yours in comradely fraternity

Alex Talbot





[1] http://www.republic.org.uk/What%20we%20want/In%20depth/Royal%20finances/index.php
[2] Ideally I would like to persuade you of the full cost benefits of becoming a republic, however I know my limits.







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