Taking Back Control: Should we dismantle the quango state?

Hosted by the TaxPayers’ Alliance

Monday, 6th October | 10.15am – 11.15am

Unelected, unaccountable and unaffordable, Britain’s quango state is out of control. Join the TaxPayers’ Alliance to explore how ministers can take back control from unresponsive bureaucracies, cut waste, and restore democratic oversight by bringing public bodies back under proper political accountability.

Speakers

Elliot Keck, head of campaigns, Taxpayers’ Alliance (Chair)
Elliot joined the TaxPayers’ Alliance in January 2022 and is responsible for leading the campaigns team. He was previously Investigations Campaign Manager with specific responsibility for the TPA’s War on Waste campaign. Before the TPA, Elliot spent a period working in Parliament running the press and campaigns for a backbench MP, after a stint working for a think tank. He has a master’s degree in International Politics from City, University of London and a BA in History and Politics from University of Birmingham. While at university he did a year abroad in Canada.

Alex Burghart MP, shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland and shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster
Alex was first elected in Brentwood and Ongar in 2017 Alex is a former teacher and the son of two teachers. The first person in his family to go to university, he read history at Oxford before taking his doctorate at King’s College London where he taught and lectured. Director of Policy at the Centre for Social Justice where he led research on housing, welfare, education, and family policy. Between 2016 and 2017 he was a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on social justice in 10 Downing Street. Alex held a number of ministerial positions in the last government.

Fred de Fossard, director of strategy, Prosperity Institute
Fred leads the Prosperity Institute’s parliamentary and legislative work. He is responsible for research on British prosperity, encompassing Brexit opportunities, regulatory and government reform, and economic growth. Before working at the Institute, he served as a Special Adviser to Rt Hon Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg MP between 2020 and 2022, gaining a deep understanding of the mechanics of the British state and how it needs to be reformed. He helped deliver a host of regulatory reforms related to Brexit, policies to improve civil service recruitment, and helped manage the Government’s legislative programme. He read history at Magdalen College, Oxford, and takes a keen interest in Medieval English history. Before working in politics, he was a chef.

Julian Gallie, head of research, Merlin Strategy
Julian is the Head of Research at Merlin Strategy his work has been featured in The Telegraph, Conservative Home and Daily Mail. Julian also polled for Robert Jenrick’s leadership campaign

Lord Maude of Horsham
Francis had a distinguished career in Government, spanning over three decades. He served as Margaret Thatcher’s Minister for Europe and Hong Kong, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Privatisation. Before the formation of the Coalition Government in 2010, Francis served on the Opposition frontbench, variously as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Shadow Foreign Secretary, and Chairman of the Conservative Party. As Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2010 to 2015, Francis led an efficiency and reform programme that delivered cumulative savings from the operating costs of Government of more than $75 billion. He and his team developed the “functional model” of government to break down the separate silos that in many governments stand in the way of efficient and effective delivery of services. In 2015 Francis was appointed to the House of Lords as Lord Maude of Horsham.

Charlotte Pickles, director, Re:State
Charlotte became director of Re:State in April 2019, after having been Capitalism Editor and columnist, and then Managing Editor, of the media start-up UnHerd.com. She has worked in a variety of roles across the public, private and third sectors looking at how to reform public services in order to deliver better outcomes and better value for money. She started her public policy career at the Centre for Social Justice before heading into government as Expert Advisor to then Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith. After leaving government Charlotte spent time advising a major police force, and then working as a management consultant in the public sector practice of a global consultancy firm.