It’s what the great economist Milton Friedman described as “the tyranny of the status quo”. Every Budget week, we hear lots … Continue reading “Budget week: The tyranny of the status quo”

For the third time in a year, tomorrow, George Osborne will take to the despatch box to deliver a budget … Continue reading “This Autumn Statement could significantly change the UK state”

How large were cuts to government spending during the last parliament? The answer may surprise you. Overall real expenditure fell … Continue reading “Forget horse-trading over cuts: The Spending Review is an opportunity to rethink the state”

Dr Andrew Lilico, member of the IEA’s Academic Advisory Council, writes for CapX: Paul Krugman once did something or other … Continue reading “Paul Krugman is wrong about the UK and borrowing”

We should have called 2010 ‘The Phoney Election’. Right up until polling day, our wannabe political leaders were debating the … Continue reading “The second urgent election issue on which the parties are silent. Where will they make most of their cuts?”

It is often suggested that the House of Commons is rather like a football ground and, if I had been … Continue reading “The Autumn Statement: ‘Sit down, shut up! Sit down, shut up!…’”

Recent public finance statistics have suggested that the UK deficit has risen in the first seven months of the financial … Continue reading “How much has government spending been cut?”

Important voices are softening up the public for significant tax rises after next year’s election. Last week, the Institute for … Continue reading “Further tax hikes are neither necessary nor desirable – whichever way you cut it”

The Honourable Joe Hockey, Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia, spoke at an IEA event on Global Economic Development and … Continue reading “Joe Hockey : Global economic development and policy challenges”