On regulation and centralisation, the UK’s record is no better than the EU’s

Prof Philip Booth
26 February 2019
Government and Institutions

On regulation and centralisation, the UK’s record is no better than the EU’s

Those who voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU rightly complained about the centralised political structures in Brussels. The slogan was “take back control”. Even for Remain supporters, like me, that was an understandable slogan given the avalanche of regulation that comes from Brussels that affects our daily lives. ... Continue reading
Prof Philip Booth
26 February 2019
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A Socialist Carol (Part 3)

Dr Kristian Niemietz
25 February 2019
Economic Theory

A Socialist Carol (Part 3)

…continued from Part 2. Stave 4: The Ghost of Socialism Yet to Come Owen woke up again, to the sound of classical music coming from the kitchen. He got up, and went to see what was going on there. It was the old man, who had announced the ghosts a few hours earlier. “You again”, ... Continue reading
Dr Kristian Niemietz
25 February 2019
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A Socialist Carol (Part 2)

Dr Kristian Niemietz
22 February 2019
Economic Theory

A Socialist Carol (Part 2)

…continued from Part 1 The room went dark. When the lights went back on again, the room had changed. People were much less formally dressed. The men had longer hair. Some of them sported beards. The demographic composition of the audience had changed as well. It was more diverse. Less male, and less white. Judging ... Continue reading
Dr Kristian Niemietz
22 February 2019
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A Socialist Carol (Part 1)

Dr Kristian Niemietz
21 February 2019
Economic Theory

A Socialist Carol (Part 1)

Stave 1: Hayek’s Ghost At a university debating society event, 2013 “The reason why previous, nominally socialist projects failed…” Owen paused for a moment, for effect, his gaze wandering from the seats on the left to the seats on the right. The audience was eating out of his hand. “…was that their leaders tried to ... Continue reading
Dr Kristian Niemietz
21 February 2019
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Bridge, safety net or trap?

Victoria Hewson
13 February 2019
Trade, Development, and Immigration

Bridge, safety net or trap?

Olly Robbins assertion, slightly embarrassingly overheard and reported by a journalist - that the government is planning to give MPs a choice between voting for the Withdrawal Agreement or facing a lengthy extension of Article 50 - has caused controversy today.  His other comments, that the backstop was intended to be a ‘bridge’, (something that ... Continue reading
Victoria Hewson
13 February 2019
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The future of Europe is Dutch

Adam Bartha
12 February 2019
Government and Institutions

The future of Europe is Dutch

Brexit has caused some turbulent political times in Westminster, but the hole left by the UK in Brussels will be felt throughout the continent. Putting the tedious fight of Brexit negotiations aside for a moment; what kind of Europe are we going to see develop in the next 10 years, after the UK departs the ... Continue reading
Adam Bartha
12 February 2019
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Haggis croquettes and the problem with compromise

Andy Mayer
4 February 2019
Trade, Development, and Immigration

Haggis croquettes and the problem with compromise

Last week the City of London held their first attempt at a Burns night supper, with the First Minister and representatives of the Scottish Government as guests of honour. It is a difficult tradition to get wrong. Largely it requires steaming piles of Scotland’s revenge on the sausage, poetry that the English politely pretend to ... Continue reading
Andy Mayer
4 February 2019
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Britain does not have an ‘underemployment’ problem

Christopher Snowdon
1 February 2019
Labour Market

Britain does not have an ‘underemployment’ problem

When I was growing up, unemployment was the great economic concern of our time. If I'd been born a little earlier, it would have been inflation, but in the 1980s the glowing orange signs of the old Jobcentres were a ubiquitous feature of the television news. And with good reason. In 1984, the unemployment rate ... Continue reading
Christopher Snowdon
1 February 2019
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The road to increased carbon emissions is paved with good intentions

Prof Philip Booth
28 January 2019
Energy and Environment

The road to increased carbon emissions is paved with good intentions

Christian antipathy towards Donald Trump in the hierarchy of the established church is easy to comprehend, although, given Democratic policies on certain issues in the moral-cultural sphere, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s remark that he cannot understand Christian support for Trump is a bit bemusing. The issues most Christians (including Pope Francis) tend to focus on ... Continue reading
Prof Philip Booth
28 January 2019
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The unintended consequences of ethnic pay gap reporting

Professor Len Shackleton
25 January 2019
Labour Market

The unintended consequences of ethnic pay gap reporting

The Government’s consultation on ethnic pay gap monitoring closed a couple of weeks ago. We await the findings, but it looks pretty certain, given the submissions I have seen, that we will soon see compulsory reporting. Many of these submissions by businesses and representative bodies support the proposal by Baroness McGregor-Smith, in her 2017 review of ... Continue reading
Professor Len Shackleton
25 January 2019
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