In his 2008 book An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming, the late Nigel Lawson presented a persuasive … Continue reading “Why cutting immigration is not a substitute for reforming the housing market”

One of my favourite examples of a quirky regulation is the Icelandic beer ban, which lasted until March 1989. This … Continue reading “Why is the socialist Left so hostile to YIMBYism?”

Boris Johnson has promised a “radical shakeup” of the planning system – the “biggest shake-up in 70 years” no less … Continue reading “Johnson’s “radical shakeup” of the planning system is not going to happen”

All hail the Mayor of San Diego! Earlier this week, Californian lawmaker Kevin Faulconer outlined an ambitious overhaul of the city’s … Continue reading “All hail the Mayor of San Diego!”

Living on our planet is more enjoyable than it used to be in almost all respects. We live longer, we … Continue reading “The establishment has fallen in love with ugliness – and we are all worse off for it”

For decades, we have failed to build the homes we need, leading to home ownership slipping out of reach for … Continue reading “How to kickstart a self-building revolution”

Our housing market is – undeniably – broken. The affordability ratio (house prices to earnings) has climbed across the country, … Continue reading “Untangling the complex web of the UK housing market”

What if we brought back the 1351 Statute of Labourers, and required a permit for people to live in a … Continue reading “Our terrible planning system causes untold damage to labour mobility and productivity”

We tend to conceptualise the housing crisis in terms of affordability – and justifiably so. Over the last two decades, … Continue reading “The hidden costs of the housing crisis”