* TALKING POINT, WITH ANNABEL DENHAM
* LIVE WITH LITTLEWOOD US SPECIAL
* iN THE MEDIA
* IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
* THINK 2022
* FORTHCOMING EVENTS

British white-collar workers are receiving a mixed press. When the pingdemic struck last summer, commentators questioned whether being paid 80 per cent of their salaries to sit at home had left furloughed workers workshy.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party and unions were complaining about unscrupulous employers and exploited employees, demanding ever more regulation to correct workplace problems that are often exaggerated.

This week, attention turned towards flexible working after a presenteeism league table circulated by the Minister for Government Efficiency Jacob Rees-Mogg revealed that large numbers of civil servants are home working, despite ministers repeatedly urging the public – from as long ago as September 2020 – to get back to their desks.

Some insisted this was in our own best interests – the Chancellor suggested it was “really important” for young people to be in a workplace; others implied we had a civic duty to support sandwich shops and other local services in city centres.

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As I wrote in the Telegraph Business ([link removed]) and told listeners to talkRADIO, the government is tying itself in knots over home working and other aspects of workers’ rights. On the one hand, it plans to introduce a right to request flexible working from day one for employees in private companies; on the other, it is ordering civil servants to get back to the office. Meanwhile, civil servants in Wales are now allowed ([link removed]) to take a weekly "wellbeing hour" for mindful activities.

While new regulations that reinforce the primacy of employee wellbeing have strong political appeal, if one-size-fits-all legislation compromises profitability, some firms will cut wages or discriminate against hiring workers from demographic groups viewed as likely to activate such rights. The damaging economics of employment regulation was analysed in the 2017 IEA text, Working to Rule ([link removed]) , which is taking on a new significance now that ministers increasingly view employers and employees as incapable of coming to their own voluntary arrangements.

Annabel Denham
Director of Communications, Institute of Economic Affairs

LIVE WITH LITTLEWOOD US SPECIAL

On Wednesday evening, IEA Director General Mark Littlewood hosted a Live with Littlewood US Special, featuring prominent commentators from across the pond. The panel discussed Donald Trump's hopes for 2024, how different states performed during Covid, and how we should respond to woke corporatism.

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Mark was joined by Guy Bentley, Director of Consumer Freedom at Reason Foundation; Greg Brooks, Co-founder & President of Better Cities Project; Sarah Elliott, Chair of the Hamilton Society and Spokeswoman for Republicans Overseas UK; Stephen Kent, Author and Director of Operations at Echelon Insights; and Brooke Medina, Vice President of Communications at the John Locke Foundation.

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Mark asked the panel how classical liberals should view Disney's open opposition to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law. Greg responded that, as a free speech absolutist, Disney should be allowed to say what it wants and consumers should react accordingly. Stephen, however, warned that firms are responding not to the market, but to small factional interests.

Brooke and Sarah predicted a red wave in the upcoming US midterm election, blaming Joe Biden's poor economic performance.The panel agreed that Trump is likely to run for President in 2024, but they also explored whether Governor Ron DeSantis would be the Republican nominee.

Watch the full show on the IEA YouTube Channel here ([link removed]) .
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As an educational charity, the work we do is entirely funded by donations. If you are able to help, please click here ([link removed]) or get in touch with our Development Director Angela Harbutt at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?body=Dear%20Angela%2C) . We thank you for your continued support.
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iN THE MEDIA

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Regulation overload.. In his fortnightly column for The Times ([link removed]) , IEA Director General Mark Littlewood warned that not only has the government overlooked the threat to free speech posed by the Online Safety Bill, but it has underestimated the financial cost of implementing this new regulation to businesses.

Mark told readers: "No quantitative attempt has been made to calculate whether the digital economy might contract as part of the online safety drive – were it to do so, this would impact jobs, salaries and company profits."

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IEA Head of Public Policy Matthew Lesh appeared on GB News to discuss the Online Safety Bill. He described provisions in the Bill that would force tech companies to censor 'legal but harmful' speech as "extremely authoritarian in nature". Watch highlights here ([link removed]) .

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Striking the rich... Mark commented on anti-wealth attitudes in the UK, following the outrage over Rishi Sunak's wife's non-dom tax status. Mark argued we should celebrate wealth creators rather than take a hostile approach that forces people to hide their success.

Quoted in The Telegraph ([link removed]) , he advised that we "get away from the corrosive and widespread assumption that those who have accrued substantial wealth must have done so by dubious means".

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Losing patients... In an opinion article for City AM ([link removed]) , IEA Head of Political Economy Dr Kristian Niemietz discussed the nation's growing frustration with the NHS's performance since Covid. Polling in 2021 showed just 36 per cent of people were satisfied with NHS care, while 41 per cent were dissatisfied.

Kristian argued that the NHS could be losing its 'halo' as more people turn to private medical treatment to avoid the NHS's long waiting lists. This, he believes, could "lead to greater acceptance for market-based reforms of the healthcare system".

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Safe haven... Matthew Lesh criticised "sclerotic bureaucracy, over-centralisation, and health and safety zealots" for thwarting the UK's acceptance of Ukrainian refugees.

Currently, refugees are being denied accommodation in properties that fail to meet certain regulation, including the positioning of plug sockets. Read Matthew's article for The Telegraph here ([link removed]) .

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Energy squeeze... On Tuesday, it was reported that the government is contemplating scrapping green levies to help households face spiralling energy bills.

Speaking to City AM ([link removed]) , IEA Energy Analyst Andy Mayer cautiously welcomed scrapping the levies, but suggested more had to be done to reform policies that are driving up costs across the sector.

Andy argued: "An affordable low carbon transition requires less intervention, with competitive carbon taxation, not picking winners nor banning technologies". He also discussed green levies and energy policy more generally on BBC Radio Berkshire. Listen here ([link removed]) (from 3h5m).

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Scottish Power CEO Keith Anderson called for the government to take £1,000 off the energy bills of the poorest people in the country and make beneficiaries repay the amount over 10 years. Andy told the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 that he sympathised with the need for more support for the poorest billpayers. But he cautioned against distorting the market by knocking large sums of money off energy bills and making vulnerable people face a cliff edge in the future. Listen here ([link removed]) .

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Break ground... Quoted in The Telegraph ([link removed]) , Dr Kristian Niemietz argued government should not only prioritise building social housing. He urged policymakers to overhaul the planning system, which is holding back the supply of all forms of housing.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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Swiftly does it... Christopher Snowdon was joined by comedian and commentator Konstantin Kisin for the latest episode of The Swift Half. They discuss comedy, Russian propaganda, public trust in the media, and much more. Watch here ([link removed]) .

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All change... IEA Director of Communications Annabel Denham took part in a panel discussion organised by The Henry Jackson Society on the UK's immigration policy. She was joined by John Penrose MP; May Bulman, Social Affairs Correspondent at The Independent; and Helen Ivanov, Associate Fellow at The Henry Jackson Society. You can watch here ([link removed]) .

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The Double Take... In the latest episode, host and IEA Head of Media Emily Carver speaks to Economics Fellow Julian Jessop about the IMF's pessimistic forecasts for UK growth, and to Head of Cultural Affairs Marc Glendening about why businesses have become so outspoken on politics. Watch here ([link removed]) .

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Doing their bit?... IEA Director General Mark Littlewood recently debated Gary Stevenson, a member of the UK branch of Patriotic Millionaires, a group of wealthy individuals campaigning to pay more tax. IEA Head of Political Economy Dr Kristian Niemietz chaired the debate.

They discussed whether the rich are paying enough tax, what impact higher taxes would have on the economy, and why those who want to pay more tax don't simply contribute to HMRC. Watch here ([link removed]) .

THINK 2022

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We are delighted to announce our third THINK speaker for 2022 is Johan Norberg, who will be speaking on 'Picking Losers – why industrial policy fails'. Find out more here ([link removed]) .

Johan Norberg is an author, lecturer and documentary filmmaker who specialises in the big questions, from liberty and progress to entrepreneurship, globalisation and the hidden dichotomies shaping the world. He is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington D.C. and the European Centre for International Political Economy in Brussels.

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You can find out more about Johan, his topic, and THINK at thinkiea.com ([link removed]) . Email IEA Head of Outreach Brittany Davis at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) with questions or group discount rates.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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In Conversation with Nigel Farage... The IEA is delighted to host an In Conversation with Nigel Farage (British Broadcaster, and former British Politician) on Tuesday 26 April from 12pm. The event will be chaired by IEA Director General Mark Littlewood and is invitation only. For details, please get in touch at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Nigel%20Farage) .

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Going global... The IEA will host a panel discussion on the topic: UK Global Champions – A Global Britain approach to Trade and Foreign Policy, from 5.30pm on Monday 9 May.

Speakers include: Greg Smith MP, Conservative MP for Buckingham and Co-Chair of Free Market Forum, and IEA Head of regulatory Affairs Victoria Hewson. Further panellists are still to be confirmed.

This event is invitation only. For more information please contact [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

The Chancellors... On Monday 6 June, the IEA Book Club will welcome Sir Howard Davies, British economist, author, and Chairman of NatWest Group, to discuss his upcoming book The Chancellors: Steering the British Economy in Crisis Time. This event will take place from 6pm at the IEA.

This event is exclusively for IEA Book Club members. For more information on the Book Club please get in touch at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or click the link here. ([link removed])

CALLING ALL STUDENTS!

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We are excited to launch the Economic Thought Leaders’ Symposium at the University of Buckingham from 7-9 September 2022.

The theme for this year’s programme is The Economics of War and Peace. We will discuss topics like trade not war, international institutions, diplomacy and game theory. To apply, please send a CV and cover letter explaining why you’d like to attend, as well as 500 words on promoting the reconstruction of an economy after a war to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) by 17 June 2022. You can find out more here ([link removed]) .

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We have launched the 2022 Dorian Fisher Essay Competition. Named after the beloved wife of our founder Sir Antony Fisher, this is our biggest essay competition of the year, exclusively for A-Level and IB students.

First prize will receive £500, with a separate prize of £500 for the school with the highest number of entrants. The deadline for this year’s competition is Friday 29 July 2022. You can find out more here ([link removed]) .

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