In the News

The HMRC's report into the former 50p rate provides the evidence for substantial tax cuts

24 March 2012

Peter Young, fiscal policy adviser at the Adam Smith Institute, looks at HMRC's report into the revenue effect of the 50p income tax rate. He argues at ConservativeHome the report provides evidence that the government  should cut the rate to 40%, not 45p, in order to boost both revenue and growth. 

Coverage on the 2012 Budget

22 March 2012

The Adam Smith Institute appeared on a variety of TV, radio, print and online news sites commenting on Osborne's announcements both pre and post speech. Below are some of the highlights:

• Dr Eamonn Butler on the Jeff Randall Show, Sky News discussing the expected changes in taxes.

• Dr Madsen Pirie on the Today Programme arguing against government intervention in business and for less regulation and taxes.

• ASI Fellow Alex Singleton on the Jeremy Vine Show defending the need to scrap the 50p tax rate.

• Sam Bowman on Al Arabiya TV giving his reaction to Osborne's announcements.

• Dr Madsen Pirie writes in City AM an entrepreneur's wish list for the budget.

• Sam Bowman writes in the New Statesman on his dream budget proposal: legalising and taxing drugs.

• Sally Thompson writing on Politics.co.uk on the need to reduce the tax burden and simplify the tax system to generate growth.

• Dr Eamonn Butler writes in the Spectator Coffee House on how Osborne can learn from Adam Smith on taxation.

• Sam Bowman took part in a live blog on Reuters, giving his immediate reactions as the Budget policies were announced. 

• Tom Clougherty's criticises the tax hike on cigarettes in The Sun.

• The ASI's reaction to the 50p tax rate and lowering of the 40p tax threshold feature in the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph and ConservativeHome.

Legalise and tax drugs

20 March 2012

Sam Bowman writes in the New Statesman on the one thing he would like to see Osborne do in his budget: legalise and tax drugs. 

Has Osborne learnt the right lessons from Adam Smith?

20 March 2012

Dr Eamonn Butler writes in the Spectator on the lessons the Chancellor should learn from Adam Smith to help the working poor. 

Should government intervene in business?

20 March 2012

Dr Madsen Pirie appears on the BBC Radio 4's Today Programme arguing that government should not intervene in business, but instead should get out of the way, deregulate and lower taxation and create the optimum environment for private sector growth.

You can listen to his debate with Will Straw at the IPPR here. 

Entrepreneur's wish list for Wednesday's budget

19 March 2012

Dr Madsen Pirie details in City AM the proposals needed in the 2012 budget to support entrepreneurship in the UK.

Planning for growth and prosperity

10 March 2012

ASI author Tom Papworth details his proposals for the radical reform of the planning system to unlock growth in the UK on ConservativeHome. 

Scrap Green Belt to boost GDP growth

8 March 2012

City AM covers our latest report arguing that we need radical reform of the planning system and calls for the Green Belt to be scrapped to prevent a housing crisis. 

Will structural reform save Europe?

8 March 2012

Dr Eamonn Butler talks on BBC World Service about the need for European countries to get real. We can't continue to subsidise ourselves with high taxes whilst placing extra costs on business through excessive regulation. He also talks about the need to free up labour markets for a healthy economy.

You can listen to his interview here. 

Why the tax take fell when top rate went up to 50%

5 March 2012

Dr Eamonn Butler writes in the Mail on Sunday on why tax take fell when the 50p tax was introduced and argues that a government running a huge deficit must cut tax rates.