Regulation Archives — Institute of Economic Affairs

The Dyson outrage is a load of hot air

Madeline Grant

24 January 2019

Regulation

The Dyson outrage is a load of hot air

James Dyson’s decision to relocate the headquarters of his company to Singapore has sparked a hyperbolic and predictable outcry. Dyson, an entrepreneur and prominent supporter of Brexit, has run into accusations of hypocrisy and even treachery from MPs on both sides of the green benches. Elsewhere, prominent commentators on the Leave and Remain sides of ... Continue reading

Madeline Grant

24 January 2019

Yesterday’s Dyson ruling – a rare victory against the EU’s crony capitalist regulatory agenda

Matt Ridley

9 November 2018

Regulation

Yesterday’s Dyson ruling – a rare victory against the EU’s crony capitalist regulatory agenda

My biggest beef with the European Union has always been the way it stifles consumer-friendly innovation in the interests of incumbent businesses and organisations. Yesterday’s victory for Sir James Dyson at the European General Court lays bare an especially shocking example. Dyson’s case, which has taken five years in the courts, reveals just how corrupt ... Continue reading

Matt Ridley

9 November 2018

2 Comments

What can we learn from the EU/Japan Free Trade Agreement?

Jack Martin

23 July 2018

Government and Institutions

What can we learn from the EU/Japan Free Trade Agreement?

On Tuesday of last week, the European Union and Japan signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Following over four years of negotiation, the EPA covers 600 million people and an impressive third of global GDP. In an atmosphere of increasing trade barriers, this provides some relief for the global trading system. The EPA removes Japanese ... Continue reading

Jack Martin

23 July 2018

1 Comment

Beware May’s “industrial strategy”: Brexit Britain must be market-orientated

Mark Littlewood

19 July 2016

Government and Institutions

Beware May’s “industrial strategy”: Brexit Britain must be market-orientated

This wasn’t a lazy half-hearted reshuffle, Theresa May was imposing her own stamp on government. Rather than going for continuity, she was ruthless in personnel changes. Initially, it started to look as though the Prime Minister might even be overhauling our outdated Whitehall structure too. The appointments of Liam Fox to oversee international trade and ... Continue reading

Mark Littlewood

19 July 2016

Six policies Prime Minister May should embrace to revitalise growth

Ryan Bourne

12 July 2016

Government and Institutions

Six policies Prime Minister May should embrace to revitalise growth

Predictably, those who demand more government spending both when the economy is doing well and badly are calling for increases to see off any potential post-Brexit slowdown. “Infrastructure spending” is the call of the day, with masses of supposed “shovel-ready projects” with high returns apparently lying around for the government to undertake. Unfortunately, in the ... Continue reading

Ryan Bourne

12 July 2016

2 Comments

Ofsted: too big to not fail

Len Shackleton

11 July 2016

Education

Ofsted: too big to not fail

Last week’s decision by the House of Commons Education Committee not to endorse the appointment of Amanda Spielman as Ofsted Head raises important questions. Teaching unions have pointed to Ms Spielman’s lack of teaching experience. In partial defence, she does know her way around education, having amongst other things been involved with the Ark academy ... Continue reading

Len Shackleton

11 July 2016

#QTWTAIN: “But haven’t rent controls worked in Germany?”

Kristian Niemietz

3 June 2016

Housing and Planning

#QTWTAIN: “But haven’t rent controls worked in Germany?”

Rent controls are a bit like communism, in the sense that they can never ‘fail’, in the eyes of their supporters – they can only be ‘badly implemented’. Rent controls have worsened the situation of tenants in New York, or in Stockholm? According to the true believers, that tells us nothing whatsoever about rent controls ... Continue reading

Kristian Niemietz

3 June 2016

4 Comments

Let’s privatise the loos. Yes, seriously.

Len Shackleton

31 May 2016

Regulation

Let’s privatise the loos. Yes, seriously.

A BBC investigation shows that the number of public toilets has continued to fall, with nearly 1,800 closing nationwide in the last 10 years. There is no legal obligation on councils to provide conveniences, and closing them is often an easy way to save money when cash is short. London’s provision is now abysmal, with ... Continue reading

Len Shackleton

31 May 2016

1 Comment

Basel, RWA and rules of thumb in risk management

Diego Zuluaga

6 May 2016

Monetary Policy

Basel, RWA and rules of thumb in risk management

The Institute for International Finance has just released an interesting briefing paper on the trends in risk-weighted assets (RWA) among major banks before and after the financial crisis. RWA is the main measure of risk mandated by the Basel Committee, the forum of central bank supervisors charged with global standard-setting to achieve financial stability. The ... Continue reading

Diego Zuluaga

6 May 2016

Serious flaws in the CMA’s energy market investigation

Stephen Littlechild

3 May 2016

Energy and Environment

Serious flaws in the CMA’s energy market investigation

On 17 March 2016 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its Provisional Decision on Remedies in its investigation of the energy market. The following is a summary of the concerns expressed by five former GB energy regulators (Stephen Littlechild, Sir Callum McCarthy, Eileen Marshall, Stephen Smith and Claire Spottiswoode). Their 11 April response to ... Continue reading

Stephen Littlechild

3 May 2016

2 Comments

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