NEWS
Kate Andrews calls for further deficit reduction on Channel 4 News
Head of Communications at the Adam Smith Institute, Kate Andrews, spoke to Channel 4 News about how the UK's financial priority should be to cut the deficit. Starts 2:58
Author of ASI paper "The Green Noose" argues for rolling back the Green Belt on BBC Radio 4
Senior Fellow at the Adam Smith Institute and author of “The Green Noose: An analysis of Green Belts and proposals for reform”, Tom Papworth, spoke to BBC Radio 4 about the benefits of rolling back the green belt to make room for the millions of homes needed to solve London's housing crisis. Listen to the interview here. (Starts 05:52)
The ASI report, The Green Noose: An analysis of Green Belts and proposals for reform, looks at the Green Belt’s impact on England’s housing shortage. After a comprehensive review of the causes of the housing crisis, it concludes that the planning structure is out of date and in need of radical reform.
Press Release: Plain packaging vote marks illiberal new extension of nanny state
For further comments or to arrange an interview, contact Kate Andrews, Head of Communications, at kate@adamsmith.org / 07584 778207. Commenting on today's vote in favour of plain packaging in the House of Commons, Deputy Director of the Adam Smith Institute Sam Bowman said:
Today's vote marks an illiberal new extension of the nanny state.
Plain packaging infringes on people’s freedom of expression, curbing the rights of adults to advertise and be advertised to. It seems likely that things like alcohol and fatty foods will be next, and plain packaging is probably a step towards a complete ban on smoking in public.
Even the public health lobby must admit that freedom of expression should only be curbed in extreme circumstances, but plain packaging does not work on its own terms. After its introduction in Australia, household expenditures on tobacco rose, and illicit tobacco seizures rose by 60 percent. The tobacco industry opposes plain packaging because it shifts smokers to cheaper brands, not because it deters them from smoking overall.
The public health lobby simply does not care about people’s freedom to smoke or drink or eat fatty foods. Freedom of expression is being thrown under the bus in the name of ‘public health’. Anyone who values their personal freedoms, whether they are smokers or not, should oppose plain packaging.
The Adam Smith Institute is an independent free market think tank based in London. It advocates classically liberal public policies to create a richer, freer world.
Dr Eamonn Butler highlights the inefficiencies and expenses of 'Buying British" on BBC Radio Sheffield
Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Dr Eamonn Butler, spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield about the benefits of a global economy, which enable consumers to buy cheaper, better products from specialised vendors throughout the world. He argued that too much emphasis is put on 'Buying British', when often it is more expensive and less efficient to do so. Listen to the full interview here. (Starts 01:24:10)
Sam Bowman calls for an overhaul of the UK's planning system on ITV Tonight
Deputy Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Sam Bowman, appeared on ITV Tonight's programme "Britain's Housing Crisis" and called for planning reform to allow building on small parts of the Green Belt; such a strategy would bring down the cost of land, and in turn, bring down the cost of housing.
Dr Eamonn Butler debates the Eurostar sell-off on BBC Radio 4
Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Dr Eamonn Butler, defended the sale of UK Eurostar shares on BBC Radio 4, arguing that the sale would create financial benefits for taxpayers in the short term, and very likely a better-run train service in the long term. Listen to the interview here. (Starts 20:40)
Sam Bowman's comments on UKIP's immigration policy feature in The Huffington Post UK
Deputy Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Sam Bowman, was quoted in The Huffington Post UK on UKIP's original pledge to cap UK migration at 50,000 people per year.
At the time of Woolfe's announcement, Sam Bowman, from the Adam Smith Institute, said the party's immigration stance was "intellectually and morally bankrupt", adding: "Despite what Ukip claims, immigration is good for virtually everyone in society, rich and poor alike."
Ben Southwood's comments on growth and redistribution feature in a BBC News article
Ben Southwood, Head of Research at the Adam Smith Institute, was quoted in a BBC News article on the importance of growth, competitiveness and redistribution:
We can achieve economic growth and equality in an economic strategy, but we have to be very careful about what measures we use.
It does seem that the poorer counties in the world are unequal, whereas the richer countries are more unequal. That doesn't necessarily mean that reducing inequality lets you get richer.
In fact what we tend to see is first you grow very fast, become more unequal, and then you carry on growing and everybody else catches up.
Redistributing wealth is very important for alleviating poverty but in the long run it has barely lifted anyone out of poverty, compared to the amount economic growth has lifted people out of poverty.
Economic growth has lifted billions of people around the world out of poverty, redistribution has lifted millions of people out of poverty. Redistribution is important but it isn't nearly as important as growth and we should always be focusing on growth.
Dr Eamonn Butler debates the public funding of libraries on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire
Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Dr Eamonn Butler, spoke to BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire about the need for libraries to revamp both what they offer and their funding structures. Listen to the interview here. (Starts 01:51:52)
Ben Southwood discusses inequality, growth and redistribution on BBC Radio Scotland
Head of Research at the Adam Smith Institute Ben Southwood spoke to BBC Radio Scotland about Nicola Sturgeon's new economic plan for Scotland, the battle between growth and redistribution, and how to best tackle issues of inequality. Listen to the interview here. (Starts 01:10:25)
Media contact:
emily@adamsmith.org
Media phone: 07584778207
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