The IEA say 14 cabinet members are linked to them.
A secretively-funded think tank called the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is celebrating after 14 Tories associated with it were appointed to the cabinet.
In an email to supporters, the IEA said “Boris Johnson appointed possibly the most liberal, free-market oriented cabinet since the days of Margaret Thatcher.”
The IEA does not disclose who funds it and boasts to potential corporate donors of its influence in government.
It has lobbied against helping Ford workers in Bridgend, against a ban on junk food advertising and in favour of a UK-US trade deal.
In its email to supporters, it said that 14 of the Tories who will now sit around the cabinet table are alumni of IEA initiatives.
These include the chancellor Sajid Javid, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
Others include:
- Robert Buckland, Justice Secretary
- Alun Cairns, Welsh Secretary
- James Cleverly, Party Chairman
- Matt Hancock, Health and Social Care Secretary
- Alister Jack, Scottish Secretary
- Andrea Leadsom, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary
- Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for the Home Office
- Kwasi Kwarteng, Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Jacob Rees-Mogg, Leader of the House of Commons
- Julian Smith, Northern Ireland Secretary
- Liz Truss, International Trade Secretary
11 Responses to “Secretively-funded think tank celebrate ‘most free-market cabinet since Thatcher’”
Tom Sacold
Quick someone tell the farmer, the sheep have escaped !!!
All of these research organisations & think tanks have their political biases and employ appropriate people as they see fit. The same rules of disclosure (or lack of) apply to all. And all take advantage of donations from supporting groups to supplement their main income arising from their publications and commercial research contracts.
Bill
Patrick you are right to scold Mr Sacold for his support of the IEA.
(which curiously you describe as “not much concerned with economics ” while” working on behalf of right wing economic policy” ??? The Mr Sacolds of this world cant escape their inbuilt rightwing ignorance/sophistry of the truth that there are many secretive organisations, all committed to thatherite free-market preda’tory’ capitalism. (Keep the mushrooms in the dark and feed them bullshit)
James
This is not conspiracy or hysteria.
IEA are a very effective lobbying group, and manage to get disproportionate media coverage. Katie Andrews makes a huge number of appearances on the BBC, seemingly for her ability to articulate pretty right-wing views with conviction, despite the lack of evidence that her advocated policy works.
How do the IEA achieve such influence? Well, they are wealthy, which helps. Who funds them? We don’t know.
This is a potential abuse of democracy. Their director has already been caught on camera suggesting that ‘research’ can deliver the desired results for the right price. They now have direct access to very senior members of the government.
If this doesn’t alarm you, it should.
Michael McLoughlin
The IEA is in fact secretive about its finances – being the only NGO unwilling to disclose their funding sources – claiming that their supporters have a right to privacy – It is suspected with good reason that the biggest donors are very right wing American funders. Economically they are on far right as their own website says:
Those promoting the IEA’s mission believe that society’s problems and challenges are best dealt with by individuals, companies and voluntary associations interacting with each other freely without interference from politicians and the state. This means that government action, whether through taxes, regulation or the legal system, should be kept to a minimum.
Michael McLoughlin
Having now looked at a few of the IEA publications I think what they call research is just opinion based on their ludicrous “free”, “always bringing things into balance”, anti-state views. Try them yourself.
They should not have charitable status.