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Last month, I was delighted to return to the IEA as a part-time Academic Fellow, focusing on academic and international outreach. I have also resumed lecturing and research at St Mary’s University, Twickenham.

While IEA staff appear regularly in the media to comment on topical issues, it is also important that the IEA continues its long-term mission to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society, working with students and academics.

I will support Dr James Forder in liaising and sharing our research with academics and university students, widening the IEA's academic network and supporting our joint educational programmes with the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham. In June, the IEA will launch two new books of interest to academics and students. The first is a primer on a classical liberal perspective of international relations by Dr Edwin van de Haar. This will be followed by a book on Abrahamic faiths and markets by Dr Benedikt Koehler.

The IEA's academic journal Economic Affairs, edited by Professor Len Shackleton, continues attracting papers from academics worldwide. The most recent edition includes ([link removed]) an article by Willem H Buiter on 'The Widespread Failure of Central Banks to Control Inflation' and another by Kerry Liu on 'America's decoupling from China: A perspective from stock markets.'


I will also work with Adam Bartha to continue the international work of the late Linda Whetstone with Network for Free Societies (NFS), which continues to translate and distribute classical liberal texts. In 2022, over 10,000 books were printed and sent out, while more than 5,000 people attended NFS members' events. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to ideas of liberty through on-line media, radio and television in countries across the world. In parts of Africa where internet access is limited, 3,000 CDs containing classical liberal texts were delivered.


If you would like to support our long term academic and international work, click here ([link removed]) , or contact IEA Head of Stakeholder Relations Alex Lee at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=null&body=null) .

Professor Syed Kamall

Academic Fellow

Institute of Economic Affairs


** George Osborne calls for smoking ban
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Former Chancellor George Osborne said this week that the UK should phase out smoking for younger generations and expand the sugar tax
* Osborne urged the government to copy New Zealand in increasing the smoking age each year until all future generations are prohibited from the practice.
* “The nanny state lobby’s solution is to stop Britain being a free country, and that is why they must be resisted,” IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon told CityAM ([link removed]) .

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Christopher also criticised Osborne’s comments in Spiked! ([link removed]) and appeared on GB News ([link removed]) to discuss the issue.

IEA Director of Public Policy and Communications Matthew Lesh wrote for The Spectator ([link removed]) , describing Osborne’s proposal for cigarette prohibition as ‘deluded’.

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IEA Press and Digital Officer Joseph Dinnage highlighted the futility of prohibition and the regressive impact of ‘sin taxes’ in The Critic ([link removed]) .
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** Pressing Matters
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IEA Academic and Research Director James Forder has written a briefing paper ([link removed]) summarising two pieces of IEA research on payments from online platforms to publishers:
* Technological development in recent decades has created serious challenges for the newspaper trade.
* It has been claimed that some of the difficulty they face arises from exploiting market power by certain online platforms that allow users to post snippets of news from traditional publications without payment.
* It has therefore been proposed that regulations be created which would have the effect of requiring such payment.
* However, the best evidence contradicts the view that such market power exists. In fact, although the platforms certainly benefit from carrying the news snippets, the traditional publishers also benefit substantially and there is no good reason for additional payments to be made.
* Mechanisms requiring such payments run a severe risk of disturbing the technological development and innovation process in the industry to the long-term harm of consumer interests.
* In any case, abuses or market power, if they occur, should be dealt with by established competition law. The practice of designing custom-made regulations for particular sectors creates legal complexity and facilitates interest-specific lobbying.

Download Paper ([link removed])

IEA Latest.
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Royalty v.s. republicanism… On the IEA Blog ([link removed]) , Communications Officer Harrison Griffiths and Senior Policy Advisor Sam Collins debated whether liberals should support or oppose the monarchy.
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‘DeSantism’ coming soon... IEA Director General Mark Littlewood wrote his fortnightly column for The Times ([link removed]) on Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis. Mark argued that DeSantis’ signature blend of economic liberalism and cultural conservatism could prove to be a popular mould for conservatives around the globe.
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Across the news... IEA Communications Officer Reem Ibrahim appeared on BBC Politics Live ([link removed]) to discuss the housing crisis and teachers’ strikes.
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Get building... Matthew Lesh wrote for CapX ([link removed]) welcoming Labour plans to increase housing supply while questioning some of their specific policies.
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Don’t bite the hand that feeds… Matthew wrote his fortnightly column for CityAM ([link removed]) responding to claims that supermarket profiteering is responsible for high food prices.
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North Sea swindle... IEA Energy Analyst Andy Mayer appeared on TalkTV ([link removed]) to discuss Shell’s announcement of record-breaking £7.6 billion profits and renewed calls for windfall taxes on North Sea oil and gas firms.
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IEA Podcast… In this week’s podcast ([link removed]) , Matthew Lesh spoke to Adam Thierer, Senior Fellow in Technology and Innovation at the R Street Institute, to discuss how to forge a pro-innovation approach to AI.

IEA Insider.


** IEA Book Club events
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** IEA Book Club with Shanker Singham and Alden Abbott ([link removed])
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Wednesday, 17 May

The IEA Book Club will be hosting an upcoming event with IEA Trade and International Competition Fellow Shanker Singham and Alden Abbott on their latest book, “Trade, Competition and Domestic Regulatory Policy”. This event will take place on Wednesday 17th May from 17:30 – 19:30 at the IEA Westminster offices. Chairing this event will be Mark Littlewood.

There are a limited number of spaces at this Book Club event for non-members, please apply by emailing: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=null&body=null) .
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** IEA Book Club with Paul Johnson ([link removed])
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Wednesday, 7 June

The IEA Book Club will be hosting an event with Paul Johnson on his latest book, 'Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost'. This event will take place on Wednesday 7th June from 17:30 – 19:30 at the IEA Westminster offices. Chairing this event will be Matthew Lesh.

Find out more about how to join the Book Club. ([link removed])


** The Objective Standard Institute comes to the IEA
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The IEA was delighted to host Craig Biddle — co-founder and Executive Director of the Objective Standard Institute, co-founder and editor in chief of The Objective Standard and Executive Director of the Prometheus Foundation— to discuss objectivism. The event was attended by students and young professionals.
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