Most Western countries today offer extensive pension and healthcare entitlements which are predicated on inter-generational transfers: those of working age … Continue reading “The case for an Office for Intergenerational Responsibility”

The challenge for Greece is how to reduce taxes without lowering government revenue in a stagnant economy that is under … Continue reading “Greece needs institutional reform, starting with the public sector”

Summary: Excessive drinking creates costs to public services which the government can recoup through alcohol taxes, thereby making drinkers internalise … Continue reading “A Rational Approach to Alcohol Taxation”

The UK’s system of alcohol duty is both excessive and irrational. Duty collected on alcohol exceeds the costs incurred to … Continue reading “IEA calls for 9p flat rate of tax on alcohol to fix illogical system”

I was on The Big Questions (BBC1) recently talking about poverty. Specifically I was trying to help answer the question ‘Will … Continue reading “It’s not all doom and gloom. Beware politicised forecasts”

Commenting on the Alcohol Health Alliance’s call on government to increase duty on cheap, high strength alcohol, Christopher Snowdon, Head … Continue reading “IEA Response to the Alcohol Health Alliance: Tax all alcohol at the same rate”

…continued from Part 2.   Would a Return to a National Currency without Institutions Work? Some economists like Stiglitz claim … Continue reading “Greece – the conundrum of currency and institutions (Part 3)”

Jeremy Corbyn has just announced a £25 billion a year tax cut for high earners. Admittedly he didn’t announce it … Continue reading “The fiscal implications of Corbyn’s ‘maximum wage’”

Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership ‘reboot’ got off to a disastrous start today, with his proposal for an economically illiterate cap on … Continue reading “Corbyn’s wage cap is the politics of envy and spite”