Kate Andrews, Head of Communications at the ASI, has had her comments from BBC Question Time featured in the Evening Standard and The Sun. She was responding to Ken Livingstone's comments on the 7/7 bombings. Read the full Sun article here.
Why the Paris attacks have redefined the US presidential race | Kate Andrews writes for City AM
Kate Andrews, Head of Communications at the Adam Smith Institute, has written for City AM on how the Paris attacks have effected the US presidential primaries.
The 2016 US presidential race has been dramatically altered by the Paris attacks. An election that just weeks ago was dominated by whether the Obama administration’s policies should be advanced or repealed is now defined by an ever-changing, and increasingly dangerous, international climate.
Kate Andrews' comments on BBC Question Time feature in the Daily Mail and Independent
Head of Communications at the ASI, Kate Andrews, has had her comments from her appearance on BBC Question Time featured in both the Daily Mail and the Independent. She was responding to Ken Livingstone's remark that the 7/7 bombers "gave their lives" in response to the British invasion of Iraq. In the Daily Mail:
Comedian and former Labour aide Matt Forde described Mr Livingstone’s remarks as ‘shameful’, while panellist Kate Andrews, from think-tank the Adam Smith Institute, accused him of ‘accepting their [the terrorists’] excuses’.
In the Independent:
Mr Forde accused him of “accepting the terrorists’ propaganda”, while fellow panellist Kate Andrews, a researcher at the Adam Smith Institute, said he was “accepting their excuses”.
Ben Southwood writes for City AM on why George Osborne's tax credit U-turn is a good thing
Head of Research at the ASI, Ben Southwood, wrote an article for City AM on why Osborne's u-turn on tax credits was the right decision, despite the fact it might make him look weak.
This time round Osborne has been lucky. A £27bn windfall from lower debt interest payments and higher expected tax revenues—whose exact provenance we are still waiting to discover from the Office for Budget Responsibility—made it easy for him. This may not happen again, and we should be wary of what Osborne or his successor might do in 2020 when the tax credits system is rolled into Universal Credit.Rarely is a u-turn encouraging, but in this case it's heartening to see a government rethink such a damaging switch, even at the cost of looking weak.
What the Autumn Statement mean for politics | Ben Southwood writes for Economia
Head of Research at the ASI, Ben Southwood, gives his take on the Autumn Statement in this article for Economia:
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has not been kind to George Osborne over the years, repeatedly revising down growth or tax revenues expectations in ways that made the chancellor's budgets just look bad. He had to cut further or faster than he wanted just to stand still. But before the 2015 Autumn Statement the Prime Minister's right-hand man was handed a £27bn present, allowing him to fulfil all of his budgetary dreams at once.
ASI reaction to the Autumn Statement features in City AM
Sam Bowman, Executive Director of the ASI, has had his comments on the Autumn Statement featured in City AM.
This is the right decision on tax credits and we applaud the chancellor for changing his mind. Tax credits are the right way of doing welfare, encouraging people into work and topping up the incomes of the working poor.But now that they have been protected, we should reform the system by making it less complex and automatic, just as PAYE taxation is run.
The Adam Smith Institute features in the New Statesman for our position against tax credit cuts
The New Statesman has cited the ASI as one of the forces behind Osborne's U-turn on cutting tax credits.
Rather than modifying the cuts to in-work benefits, Osborne abandoned them entirely. In the face of the formidable coalition of Boris Johnson (his chief leadership rival), Tory backbenchers, theSun, the work and pensions select committee, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Adam Smith Institute, he capitulated.
Sam Bowman writes for the IBTimes on Osborne's growing pension problem
Executive Director of the Adam Smith Institute, Sam Bowman, wrote an article for the IBTimes on the government's ongoing appeasement of pensioners, and why it's a growing problem.
But the overall picture is not good. As spending has – necessarily – fallen, the pensions bill has risen and risen and risen. The "triple lock" means that the state pension will always rise either by the inflation rate, the rate of earnings growth, or 2.5%, whichever is highest.Over time, this would scarcely be affordable under the best circumstances. But Britain is getting older.
The ASI features on Conservative Home for our reaction to the Autumn Statement
The Adam Smith Institute's reaction to the Autumn Statement has featured on Conservative Home. Quotes from Head of Research, Ben Southwood, and Executive Director, Sam Bowman were featured on their website.
Sam Bowman, Executive Director:This is the right decision on tax credits, and we applaud the Chancellor for changing his mind.
Ben Southwood, Head of Research:
Finally—the government is taking localism and devolution seriously.
Press Release: Autumn Statement and Spending Review
Adam Smith Institute comments on the Autumn Statement and Spending Review: On the reforms to tax credit cuts, Executive Director Sam Bowman said:
This is the right decision on tax credits, and we applaud the Chancellor for changing his mind. Tax credits are the right way of doing welfare, encouraging people into work and topping up the incomes of the working poor. But now that they have been protected, we should reform the system by making it less complex and automatic, just as PAYE taxation is run.
On changes to business rates and corporation tax, Head of Research Ben Southwood said:
Finally—the government is taking localism and devolution seriously.
Northern Ireland has needed control of its corporation tax rate for years—otherwise business simply flees across the border to the Republic where rates are 12.5%—and this move has been long-awaited.
But the bigger change is giving local authorities and metropolitan areas control of business rates, and more importantly the revenue they generate.
The block grant gave councils little incentive to foster growth in their area. Rates revenues rise when land becomes more valuable, making it worth local authorities’ while to allow as much productive development as possible.
On top of this, local authorities—who own £250bn of fixed assets—will now get 100% of the proceeds if they sell of these assets and use them for reform projects, encouraging them to put all of these assets to their best possible uses.
Notes to Editors: For further comments or to arrange an interview, contact Kate Andrews, Head of Communications, at kate@adamsmith.org | 07584 778207.
The Adam Smith Institute is a free market, libertarian think tank based in London. It advocates classically liberal public policies to create a richer, freer world.