As has been widely reported, Liz Truss is apparently planning to appoint Mark Littlewood of the Institute of Economic Affairs, as well as other far-right libertarian allies, to the House of Lords in her resignation honours list to which she thinks she is entitled following her disastrous seven weeks as prime minister.<\/p>\n
I know Mark, a bit. We have done radio together for more than a decade. I spoke at the IEA once, a long time ago, although the BBC arranged it. I know a little bit about him as a result, beyond that which you might pick up from the press.<\/p>\n
I have to say that I have seen no evidence, at all, that he would add value to the House of Lords.<\/p>\n
He is dedicated to secrecy.<\/p>\n
His organisation has published papers promoting tax havens and the abuse they allow.<\/p>\n
He quite literally opposes the public interest because he denies it exists. Only the individual matters.<\/p>\n
And the economics of the IEA (if it is possible to describe their ethos with that term) is motivated solely by selfishness and contempt for anyone but winners.<\/p>\n
Those economics crashed the economy.<\/p>\n
It also led to Brexit, which has been a total disaster.<\/p>\n
There is no room for another person with such sentiments in the Lords where the requirement is that a person legislates for the benefit of others and not solely for those who might fund them, which is how the IEA has been run.<\/p>\n
I have long called Mark Littelwood 'comrade'. I will never call him 'Lord'. I sincerely hope I never have reason to do so.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"