The Pin Factory Blog

Quite a few claims about popularity of various sites are being bandied about. This isn't what the Adam Smith Institute site is about. It is neither a wholly economic one nor a political one, and we choose not to do many of the things which earn sites higher positions in the various ratings. However, because some readers have expressed an interest, here are some figures to be interpreted as people wish. In December, not a busy month because of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Webalizer figures say our site had just over 1 million page views and just over a quarter of a million visits during the month.

In January we had more than a quarter of a million visits, over a million pageviews, and nearly three million hits.

Thanks for reading... 

Just a reminder that we are launching Madsen Pirie's new book, Freedom 101, tomorrow at a TNG drinks reception here in our Westminster office. Freedom 101 is a compilation of all 101 articles in our 'Common Error' series. JP Floru (pictured left), the founder and organizer of Freedom Week, will be speaking at the launch. 

Join us from 6-8pm for pink champagne, a selection of ales, and gourmet sandwiches, RSVP to events@adamsmith.org or Steve on 020 7222 4995. 

The blog's comments function has been malfunctioning, and has been temporarily disabled while we upgrade it.

Hopefully it should be up and running again soon. 

Do you want to learn about Freedom?

Why not attend a free freedom seminar for UK students? 

Freedom Week is a one week free seminar for thirty students about the principles of a free society based on the free market and individual liberty. It is taught by eminent academics and supported by the main UK free market think tanks.

Freedom Week 2008 will take place at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 7 to 11 July 2008. To apply, please email to jp@jpfloru.com and include:

1. your CV (2 pages maximum);

2. a statement as to why you would like to participate in the seminar (150 words or less)

3. a statement (150 words or less) about your career interests;

4. other supporting evidence as to why you would be suitable to be included in the programme (must be concise!)

Please put "Application [your name]" in the subject box.
The absolute deadline for applications is 3 June 2008. Please apply asap.
Hope to see you in Cambridge! 

Our friend Stuart Wheeler sends us the following message, which may be of interest to readers of this blog:

My Legal Case to Force a Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty 

I believe that there is an overwhelming moral case for a referendum on whether the UK should ratify the Lisbon Treaty because:

• The Labour Party, as well as all major parties, promised a referendum and they should keep that promise.
• The contents of the Treaty change our constitution so fundamentally that, irrespective of whether one is for or against ratification, one should be allowed a vote.

Fortunately there is a legal, as well as a moral, basis for demanding a referendum and I have instituted proceedings against the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, in which I seek a judicial review and a declaration that the refusal to hold a referendum is unlawful. The case goes to the High Court on 22 April for a crucial preliminary hearing in open court.

The Liberal Democrats, who were instructed by their leader to abstain in the House of Commons on the question of a referendum, are to be instructed in the House of Lords to vote with the Government against a referendum. This will make it very hard, though not impossible, for an amendment in favour of a referendum to be carried.

The only other chance of a referendum in the UK is in my case. It will not be easy to win it but, if I do, and if the referendum is then won by those who oppose ratification, we may well have saved for our country its right to govern itself. We shall also have changed the course of European history because the Treaty cannot come into force unless every one of the 27 members of the European Union ratifies it.

I have a website about the case - www.stuartwheeler.co.uk - and it will be updated as necessary.
 

... ASI Fellow Tim Worstall writes about the importance of taking the poor out of income tax altogether. We particularly like the bit where he describes us as "bleeding heart classical liberals". Click here for the article.