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October 2019

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Welcome to the IEA Weekend Newsletter!


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* New Vision
* Breaking through...
* Sandwich criminals!
* Across the pond...
* Rebels without a cause?
* Freedom to think
* You’re Invited

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** New Vision
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This week, the IEA released a new report ([link removed]) which argues that broadcasting policy should be freed from the control of government and vested interests, and the BBC transformed into a subscriber-owned mutual.

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‘New Vision: Transforming the BBC into a subscriber-owned mutual’ ([link removed]) , written by IEA Senior Academic Fellow Professor Philip Booth, argues that the justifications for state intervention in broadcasting used by government, Ofcom, and the BBC are outdated and do not reflect present-day society or technology.

Philip proposes a new ownership model ([link removed]) – based on recognisable and popular institutions like The Co-Operative or the National Trust – which remove the obligation to purchase a TV licence.

Download the full report here ([link removed]) .

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The report was covered as an exclusive in the Daily Telegraph ([link removed]) , and later picked up by the Daily Express ([link removed]) .

The Telegraph write-up referenced the IEA’s public policy influence, noting that in recent years our research arguing against minimum alcohol pricing in England and research on charities using taxpayers' money to lobby the government “have proven highly influential in Whitehall.”

It also spoke to Conservative MP Julian Knight, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, who welcomed the report, and noted that “radical options like the one set out by this think tank must now come into play.”

For more on the future of the BBC, download Philip’s previous publication here ([link removed]) .


** Breaking through...
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On Thursday night, Peter Ainsworth, Managing Director of Consulting AM Ltd, and Dr Tom McKenzie , an academic economist specialising in Behavioural Economics and Public Finance, were announced as the winners ([link removed]) of the £50,000 Breakthrough Prize.

The winning entry, “EDegg: The EDucation, Enterprise and Giving-back Grant – A nest egg of opportunity for all” ([link removed]) , proposes re-arranging the flows of money in higher education so that universities, rather than government, lend to their students.

Without costing the government a penny in additional expenditure, EDegg ([link removed]) provides a nest egg of £20,000 for each 18-year old. Under the proposed system, students and universities gain from a liberalised risk-sharing pricing system that makes them partners – working together to improve graduates’ career prospects.

The prize ([link removed]) – run by the Institute of Economic Affairs and supported by entrepreneur Richard Koch – sought to find the best and boldest entry outlining what single policy would give everyone in society, whatever their background, a real opportunity to succeed on their own merit.

The prizes were presented in Macmillan Hall in central London, as the twelve finalists from all over the world - coming from as far as New Zealand - gathered to learn about the entries and discover the night’s winners.

The eighty attendees heard from the four judges of the prize - IEA Director General Mark Littlewood, prize sponsor Richard Koch, IEA Associate Director Kate Andrews and IEA Academic and Research Director Prof Syed Kamall - as well as a keynote address from the former Head of Communications to 10 Downing Street, Sir Robbie Gibb.

The event was written up in City AM ([link removed]) the following day, including the details of the winning essay.

You can read more about the winning entry, as well as the highly commended winner, commended entries, and school and students winners here ([link removed]) .


** Sandwich criminals!
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Dame Sally Davies has left her post as Britain's Chief Medical Officer, but not before a final report, released this week, which proposed radical policy recommendations, including a ban on eating on public transport, a ban on the promotion or sale of junk food at sporting venues, and calorie caps on all meals sold in cafes and restaurants.

The IEA’s Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon featured across the press, including in the Daily Mail ([link removed]) , Daily Telegraph ([link removed]) , and The Sun ([link removed]) , labelling the policies "fittingly authoritarian" and warning about the creep of the nanny state.

IEA Director General Mark Littlewood spoke to talkRADIO about the policies, warning about the threat of state intervention into our most basic daily activities.

Meanwhile, Associate Director Kate Andrews attacked the plans in a debate column for the Daily Express, arguing that the “deeply controlling” policies had no place in a free society.

Kate also wrote her City AM ([link removed]) column this week on the topic, noting that the proposals could create a “culture of shame” which could lead to unhealthy behaviour around food, especially for children.


** Across the pond...
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This week, IEA staff had their articles appear across the pond, in not one but two mainstream US newspapers.

Director General Mark Littlewood wrote a comment piece for The Detroit News ([link removed]) , explaining the current political situation with regards to Brexit for a US audience, and setting out his hopes for a strengthened US-UK relationship in future.

Writing for the daily newspaper, Mark argued that although the world may have looked on in bemusement at the last three years of UK domestic politics, “an improved and blossoming transatlantic relationship is one of the greatest prizes on offer” post-Brexit and we need to be prepared to seize it.

Read the full article here ([link removed]) .

Meanwhile, Mark’s policy advisor Alexander Hammond wrote for the Washington Times ([link removed]) to argue that US businesses are risking condoning human rights violations and censoring in China as “being brave has become less important to companies as access to China’s enormous market grows into an ever more irresistible prize to firms around the world”.

Writing in the paper, Alexander noted that US consumers need to realise the power they have to influence US businesses and support those who take a strong stance against Chinese censors.
Read the full article here ([link removed]) .


** Rebels without a cause?
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When it comes to environmental problems and global warming, the general consensus is that ‘something must be done’. Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion have become sensations.

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But often the argument goes that climate change cannot be solved by markets ([link removed]) , and rarely are the trade-offs involved acknowledged.

This week on the podcast ([link removed]) , the IEA's Digital Manager Darren Grimes asked the IEA’s Victoria Hewson, Head of Regulatory Affairs, and the IEA's Head of Political Economy, Dr Kristian Niemietz, to join him and discuss the trade-offs and challenges of adopting radical, carbon-neutral prescriptions.

Listen to the podcast in full here ([link removed]) .


** Freedom to think
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On 2 October 2019, the Guardian wrote to the IEA, accusing the organisation of having “a long history of climate denial”, setting out a small number of historic publications, going back to 1994, which the reporter implied supported this claim, and proposed the IEA might wish to “retract” them.

On the blog this week ([link removed]) , our Chief Operating Officer Andy Mayer explains why the IEA has declined their offer to delete books and rejects their polemical assertions.

Andy suggests their call to delete books provides strong evidence of a growing and dangerous trend in public discourse on climate change to stifle debate, delegitimise dissent, and wilfully confuse matters of science with matters of policy, by denying uncertainty and trade-offs ([link removed]) .

Read his full blog here ([link removed]) .
Furthermore, we feel the best response to the Guardian’s call to retract papers, books and thought is to invite more contributions to this blog on that theme. So if you have 500-1,000 words you’d like to see published, that meet our standards ([link removed]) , please do submit to us.


** You're Invited
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An Evening with Dr Tim Kane ([link removed])

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming event with Dr Tim Kane this Tuesday 15th October, from 6-8pm, who will be discussing, ‘Inequality: Why do progressives ignore progress?’

Tim’s latest research looks at how much value there is in previously unmeasurable things that standard GDP doesn’t take into account, such as civil rights, national security and environmental quality. We are thrilled to be hosting the exclusive, first public unveiling of his findings.

Dr Tim Kane is the JP Conte Fellow in Immigration Studies at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he specialises in economic growth, immigration and national security.

If you would like to attend, please email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to register.

In Conversation with Dominic Frisby (mailto:[email protected])

This Wednesday, 16th October from 6-8pm, here at the IEA, we will be hosting a Private Book Launch and In Conversation with Dominic Frisby.

Dominic is a financial writer, stand-up comedian, and author of “Daylight Robbery: How Tax Shaped our Past and will Change our Future.”

Chaired by the IEA’s Director General Mark Littlewood, they will discuss Dominic’s latest work which looks at the history of taxation, from the Ancient Mesopotamia right up to the present day.

We only have a few seats left – but if you would like to apply for a ticket, please RSVP [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to reserve a place at this special event.

Hayek 2019 ([link removed])

The Institute of Economic Affairs will soon be hosting US author Professor Bryan Caplan, who is delivering our 2019 Hayek Memorial Lecture ([link removed]) , on 3rd December at Church House, starting at 6.30pm.

The acclaimed author of The Myth of the Rational Voter - hailed as ‘the best political book of the year’ by the New York Times - will unveil his latest project, POVERTY - Who’s to Blame?

Bryan Caplan is Professor of Economics at George Mason University, Virginia. He’s also author of The Case Against Education and Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids. He’s featured in many publications - from the Wall Street Journal to the Washington Post - and appeared on ABC, BBC, Fox News and more.

Our thanks to CQS for their generous sponsorship of the Hayek Memorial Lecture.

If you’d like to attend this must-see event, RSVP [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or call 020 7799 8900

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