It is time to scrap stamp duty altogether, says IEA expert

24 February 2021
Housing and Planning

It is time to scrap stamp duty altogether, says IEA expert

Commenting on reports that the Chancellor will extend the stamp duty holiday until June, Julian Jessop Economics Fellow at free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:  "Any extension to the stamp duty holiday would be welcome, but the Chancellor should go further and look at ways to scrap the tax altogether. "Most economists agree ... Continue reading
24 February 2021
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Covid has exposed “fundamental fault lines” in education

24 February 2021
Education

Covid has exposed “fundamental fault lines” in education

Emily Carver writes for Conservative Home

In her bi-weekly article for Conservative Home, IEA Head of Media Emily Carver has highlighted the disproportionate effects lockdown has had on the education of children of lower socio-economic backgrounds. Emily said that "Far from being a leveller, the pandemic has, inevitably, impacted disproportionately the education of the already disadvantaged". Emily argued that now is ... Continue reading
24 February 2021
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In a free society there should be “no right not to be offended”, says IEA expert

23 February 2021
Society and Culture

In a free society there should be “no right not to be offended”, says IEA expert

Commenting on Merseyside Police's decision to apologise for claiming "being offensive is an offence" as part of a campaign to encourage people to report hate crime, Marc Glendening, Head of Cultural Affairs at free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:  "The decision by Merseyside police to spend taxpayers' money on a mobile ... Continue reading
23 February 2021
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Extending the furlough scheme beyond the summer would be “costly and counterproductive”

23 February 2021
Labour Market

Extending the furlough scheme beyond the summer would be “costly and counterproductive”

Julian Jessop quoted in the Evening Standard

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today released new figures showing the jobless rate has risen to 5.1 per cent.  Julian Jessop, IEA Economics Fellow, was quoted in the Evening Standard saying that the unemployment figures are not as bad as some commentators feared, suggesting that "Once the brakes are taken off, the economy ... Continue reading
23 February 2021
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“Boris Johnson’s sluggish timetable will do unnecessary damage to businesses and livelihoods”, says IEA expert

22 February 2021
Regulation

“Boris Johnson’s sluggish timetable will do unnecessary damage to businesses and livelihoods”, says IEA expert

Responding to Boris Johnson's roadmap to lift lockdown measures in England, Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, said:  "Boris Johnson’s sluggish timetable will do unnecessary damage to businesses and livelihoods. By Easter, everybody who has more than a remote chance of dying from Covid-19 will have ... Continue reading
22 February 2021
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Sunak needs to look to the short-term and the long-term in next week’s budget

22 February 2021
Tax and Fiscal Policy

Sunak needs to look to the short-term and the long-term in next week’s budget

Mark Littlewood writes for The Times

Although the budget is intended to be an annual set piece, thinking in terms of a timeframe of a single year would be "a nonsensical way for the chancellor to navigate the choppy waters he faces", writes IEA Director General Mark Littlewood. In his biweekly column for The Times, Mark argues that the Chancellor must ... Continue reading
22 February 2021
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Covid has exposed “longstanding problems” in our education system

22 February 2021
Education

Covid has exposed “longstanding problems” in our education system

Professor Len Shackleton writes for CapX

School closures over the past year have been "damaging to the mental health of some of our children and the educational progress of almost all of them", writes IEA Editorial and Research Fellow Professor Len Shackleton. While some of this damage may be reparable through extra support, the pandemic has exposed "longstanding problems in our ... Continue reading
22 February 2021
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Back to school and beyond: Time to fix longstanding problems in education, says new research

22 February 2021
Education

Back to school and beyond: Time to fix longstanding problems in education, says new research

New briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs warns policy cannot solely focus on short-term recovery The long-term costs to individuals and the economy of school closures are likely to be substantial – and will fall most heavily on poorer or otherwise disadvantaged children. It is vital that children return to school as soon ... Continue reading
22 February 2021
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Uber court ruling will “raise costs for Uber users”

19 February 2021
Labour Market

Uber court ruling will “raise costs for Uber users”

Professor Len Shackleton quoted in The Telegraph

The Supreme Court has ruled Uber drivers are workers and entitled to holiday pay, and the minimum wage. The move will have major repercussions for the gig economy. Professor Len Shackleton, Editorial and Research Fellow at the IEA, responded to the ruling warning that it "will raise costs for Uber users, who are often young ... Continue reading
19 February 2021
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We need a “rational discussion” about healthcare in Britain

19 February 2021
Healthcare

We need a “rational discussion” about healthcare in Britain

Kristian Niemietz writes for CapX

Kristian Niemietz,  Head of Political Economy at the IEA, has called for the UK to have a rational discussion about the NHS in an article for CapX. Niemietz pointed out that policy makers have accepted the need to compare the UK's performance in education and productivity to other nations in order to learn from our ... Continue reading
19 February 2021
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