There’s a letter in the Sunday Times this morning from 20 economists arguing for tougher deficit reduction measures with the focus on cuts in govt spending. No surprise there then, but what is interesting is the signatories to this very obviously right wing analysis. Three of the signatories have strong links with the Institute for Fiscal Studies - Costas Meghir is the Deputy Research Director, Orazio Attanasio is Director of Development Studies and Tim Besley is a Research Fellow there.

I have argued for some time that the Institute for Fiscal Studies is little more than a Tory front. Such blatant argument, openly anti-Labour and openly pro the deluded policies of George Osborne is clear evidence of the fact.

Of course, I’m sure that the people in question will not accept such accusation. They will argue that they are wholly objective. And I will draw their attention to this comment:

Professors of economics who claim to be ‘value-free’ have not understood the basics of their discipline.

It’s an accusation I have made of others linked to the IFS before now, with good reason.

I really don’t mind bias: I am biased, after all. I really do object to those who claim they’re unbiased and are treated as such in the media when that is blatantly untrue. That’s the only point I’m making.

PS Still no sign of the long overdue Mirrlees report from the UIFS on tax reform. Could it be they’re still waiting for an election announcement to deliver pro-Tory ideas?