Join us at the IEA for the launch of a new national poll and focus groups conducted by Freshwater Strategy for the IEA, examining how the British public thinks about economic growth.

The findings offer a unique insight into the political and communications challenge facing any pro-growth agenda.

Our panel will discuss what this research reveals about public attitudes, the risks of misdiagnosing the problem, and what it will take to build a durable, popular mandate for reform.

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This event is the first in a forthcoming landmark series of work by the IEA made possible through the support of grant [#63661] ​from the John Templeton Foundation.

Speakers:

• Lord Frost, Director General - IEA

• Dr Kristian Niemietz, Editorial Director - IEA

• Matthew Lesh, Country Manager - Freshwater Strategy & Public Policy Fellow - IEA

Date: Monday, 13 April 2026

Time: 6.00pm for 6.30pm start

Venue: 2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3LB

The opinions expressed ​are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John ​Templeton Foundation.

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Join us at the IEA for the launch of a new national poll and focus groups conducted by Freshwater Strategy for the IEA, examining how the British public thinks about economic growth.

The findings offer a unique insight into the political and communications challenge facing any pro-growth agenda.

Our panel will discuss what this research reveals about public attitudes, the risks of misdiagnosing the problem, and what it will take to build a durable, popular mandate for reform.

Paid Insider subscribers get exclusive early access to IEA events

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Join us for the 2026 Hayek Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Edward Glaeser

Does Britain Need a Second London?

The role of cities in solving Britain’s growth problem

Is Britain’s growth challenge an urban one? Economic activity in the UK is heavily concentrated in a single global city. London drives productivity, innovation and high-value services, while the rest of the country is divided between smaller cities, towns and rural areas that tend to be less productive and less internationally competitive.

Does this imbalance hold the country back? Should policymakers simply allow London to expand as the UK’s primary engine of growth, or should they actively foster a “second city” to rival the capital? And if so, what is the best strategy?

This year’s Institute of Economic Affairs Hayek Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Edward Glaeser, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and author of Triumph of the City. Professor Glaeser is one of the world’s leading urban economists, whose work has shaped the global debate on cities, housing, productivity and growth.

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Event Details:

Date: Wednesday 18 March

Time: From 19:00

Venue: Emmanuel Centre, Westminster

Edward L. Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he has taught economic theory and urban economics since 1992. He also leads the Urban Economics Working Group at the National Bureau of Economics Research, co-leads the Cities Programme of the International Growth Centre, and co-edits the Journal of Urban Economics. He has written hundreds of papers on cities, infrastructure and other topics, and written, co-written and co-edited many books including Triumph of the City, Survival of the City (with David Cutler) and Fighting Poverty in the U.S. and Europe: A World of Difference (with Alberto Alesina)

To mark the publication of Kathryn Porter’s upcoming paper, Just Stop Oil?, we are delighted to be hosting an event to explore whether ending domestic oil and gas production is a sensible response to the challenge of climate change.

The event will consist of a moderated discussion, chaired by our Director General, David Frost, The Rt Hon. the Lord Frost of Allenton CMG, with an audience Q&A afterwards.

In her paper, Porter examines the role of oil and gas in the UK’s energy system and argues that, even under net zero–compliant scenarios, the UK will continue to rely on significant quantities of both for decades to come. She considers the implications of ending domestic production, including increased reliance on imports produced to lower environmental standards and the risk of higher overall carbon emissions due to transport and carbon leakage. The paper questions whether policies focused on halting UK production, rather than reducing global emissions, are an effective approach to tackling climate change.

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Details

Title: In Conversation with Kathryn Porter on her latest paper, Just Stop Oil?: Is Ending Domestic Oil and Gas Production a Sensible Response to Climate Change?

Speakers: Kathryn Porter, Lord Frost (Chair)

Date: Wednesday 18th February 2026

Time: 6.00pm drinks; discussion from 6.30pm-7.45pm

Location: IEA, 2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3LB

In his book, Davies shows how we are going through a deep-seated process of realignment rooted in underlying structural trends. We are transitioning, he argues, from an era where the key political division was over the economic structure of society to one where the primary division is between a vision rooted in national identity and sovereignty, and an essentially post-national cosmopolitanism. This change upends the ideological and electoral alliances that have structured our political systems for decades.

Dr Davies will be joined by IEA Director General the Rt Hon Lord Frost, and Director of Communications Callum Price.

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We will be hosting a live podcast discussion on the topic of Dr Davies’ new book at the IEA offices on the evening of Wednesday 11th February and would be delighted if you could join us.

Books will be available to purchase on the night.

The full details

Title: The Great Realignment - Why the New Right is Here to Stay

Speakers: Dr Steve Davies, Lord Frost, Callum Price (Chair)

Date: Wednesday 11th February 2026

Time: 1800 for 1830-1930

Location: IEA, 2 Lord North St, SW1P 3LB

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We are delighted to invite you to the recording of our first ever Live IEA Podcast.

Following the Chancellor’s much anticipated Autumn budget we will be pouring over the details and giving our verdict at an exclusive live recording of the IEA podcast. We will debate the measures announced on the day, have a chance to judge the Chancellor’s actions against her own aims to prioritise economic growth, and discuss what should happen next to return economic dynamism to Britain.

The event will host the IEA’s podcast team plus special guests, and give listeners a unique chance to take part in the discussion.

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Speakers:

• The Rt Hon Lord David Frost, incoming Director General - IEA

• Dr Kristian Niemietz, Editorial Director - IEA

• Dr Christopher Snowdon, Head of LIfestyle Economics - IEA

• Callum Price, Director of Communications - IEA (Chair)

Details:

• IEA Live Podcast: After the budget - where will the growth come from?

  • Wednesday 26 November

  • IEA, 2 Lord North St, SW1P 3LB

  • Doors open at 18:00, with the proceedings starting at 18:30

We are delighted to invite you to the IEA-Vinson Centre Annual Policy Conference, taking place on Friday, 28 November 2025, at the Vinson Building Auditorium, University of Buckingham. This gathering of leading economists, academics, and policy experts will examine the state of free-market and classical liberal thinking today, with the goal of producing practical policy proposals.

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Friday 28th November, 10:00 - 18:00

Vinson Building Auditorium, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, MK18 1EG

The conference will feature four themed panels exploring key areas of economic reform:

Panel 1: Microeconomics

Pro-growth tax and regulatory changes and supply-side liberalisation.

Panel 3: Institutions

Why governments struggle to reform, and strategies to overcome barriers to change.

Panel 2: Macroeconomics

Fiscal and monetary policy in the post-Budget landscape.

Panel 4: Law and Economics,

How legal frameworks influence competition, equality, and overall economic outcomes.

Register Here

We are delighted to invite you to the recording of our first ever Live IEA Podcast.

Following the Chancellor’s much anticipated Autumn budget we will be pouring over the details and giving our verdict at an exclusive live recording of the IEA podcast. We will debate the measures announced on the day, have a chance to judge the Chancellor’s actions against her own aims to prioritise economic growth, and discuss what should happen next to return economic dynamism to Britain.

The event will host the IEA’s podcast team plus special guests, and give listeners a unique chance to take part in the discussion.

Register Now

Speakers:

• The Rt Hon Lord David Frost, incoming Director General - IEA

• Dr Kristian Niemietz, Editorial Director - IEA

• Dr Christopher Snowdon, Head of LIfestyle Economics - IEA

• Callum Price, Director of Communications - IEA (Chair)

Details:

• IEA Live Podcast: After the budget - where will the growth come from?

  • Wednesday 26 November

  • IEA, 2 Lord North St, SW1P 3LB

  • Doors open at 18:00, with the proceedings starting at 18:30

We will be hosting various fringe events, with speakers including the Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride MP, Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith MP, Shadow Economic Secretary Mark Garnier MP, and many others!

Our spokespeople will also be speaking on various other fringe events.

If you’re attending CPC, we’d be delighted to see you at our events and to join us in advancing the conversation for a freer, more prosperous Britain.

Sunday 5th October

23:00 - 00:30 — IEA Late Night Reception, The Rt Hon Mel Stride MP, Stanley Suite

Invitation only. Apply at VIPEvents@iea.org.uk.

17:00 - 18:00 - CapX Presents: Does Britain need its own Milei?, Executive Director Tom Clougherty is speaking on a panel hosted by CapX, CPS Gallery

Monday 6th October

10:30 - 12:00 - Young people’s attitudes to growth, Head of Media Reem Ibrahim is speaking on a panel hosted by Next Gen Tories, Secure Zone

17:00 - 18:00 - Starmer’s Checkpoint Britain: How digital ID threatens our rights, Head of Media Reem Ibrahim is speaking on a panel hosted by Big Brother Watch, The Portico Library

Tuesday 7th October

08:30 - 09:30 — Immigration: What’s the plan?, IEA Head of Media Reem Ibrahim is speaking on a panel hosted by the CPS, CPS Gallery

10:15 - 11:15 — Can Britain survive Ed Miliband?, Energy Analyst Andy Mayer is speaking on a panel hosted by the GWPF, Secure Zone

10:45 - 12:00 — Restoring Britain’s Dynamism: Removing Barriers to Economic Growth, Sir David Amess Theatre

13:15 - 14:30 — Taxed Out: Defending Britain’s Wealth Creators, Sir David Amess Theatre

15:45 - 17:00 — Resisting Paternalism: How can the Conservative Party restore individual choice?, Sir David Amess Theatre

16:30 - 17:30 — Rights and responsibilities: Reforming the welfare state, Head of Media Reem Ibrahim is speaking on a panel hosted by the TPA, ThinkTent

18:00 - 19:00 — Saving the planet and the party: could a greener shade of blue be the key to winning over young voters?, Head of Media Reem Ibrahim is speaking on a panel hosted by CEN, CEN Room

In Conversation with George Selgin - False Dawn: the New Deal and America’s Recovery from the Great Depression

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In Conversation with Dr Kit Kowol: ‘Blue Jerusalem: British Conservatism, Winston Churchill, and the Second World War’

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Join us for an discussion with Dr Kit Kowol on his new book, ‘Blue Jerusalem: British Conservatism, Winston Churchill, and the Second World War’. 

In his book,…

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Fixing Welfare: is it Time for a New Approach?

Is it time to fundamentally rethink the role of the state in welfare provision?

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Fixing Welfare: is it Time for a New Approach?

Is it time to fundamentally rethink the role of the state in welfare provision?

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Join us for a panel discussion exploring bold alternatives to Britain’s modern welfare state. Building on arguments outlined in our recent post State …

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The IEA is hosting a panel event on Juan E. Castañeda’s edited book ‘Government and Economic Growth in the 21^st Century: A Classical Liberal Response’. This event will take place on Wednesday, 9^th July, from 18:00 to 20:00 at the IEA (2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3LB).

The book is a Classical Liberal response to the way leading economies have been (mis)managed in the last three decades and the principles and models that have guided such policies, particularly since the outbreak of the Global Financial Crisis in 2007-09 which has resulted in enlarged government deficits and public debt, as well as more intrusive government regulation and virtually no economic growth.

The discussion starts at 18:30 and will be preceded by drinks from 18:00. Spaces are limited and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to attend either sign up through the ‘RSVP’ button, or RSVP to vipevents@iea.org.uk.

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For your reference, full details are provided below.

IEA Panel Event on ‘Government and Economic Growth in the 21^st Century’

Panellists: Kristian Niemietz (chair), Juan E. Castañeda, Julian Jessop, Cento Veljanovski

Date: Wednesday 9^th July

Time: 18:00 drinks, 18:30 discussion start

Location: IEA (2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3LB)

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The Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduces a globally unprecedented measure: a generational ban on tobacco sales, preventing anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 from ever legally purchasing tobacco products.

This ban infantilises one cohort of adults, discriminates on the basis of age and raises issues of intergenerational unfairness. Even people who have no intention of ever buying tobacco may feel discriminated against if someone a few years older than them has a right that has been withheld from them. The generational ban will create absurd situations, such as a 28-year-old being deemed capable of purchasing tobacco, while a 27-year-old not.

In this panel discussion, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon will discuss the principled and practical objections to the generational tobacco ban, former Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC will offer a legal perspective, exploring the ways in which the Bill may be vulnerable to legal challenge, and former Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Clive Bates will provide his perspective on why the legislation is unworkable.

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With profound implications for individual liberty, regulatory precedent, and the UK’s international obligations, this event will consider whether the Bill’s sweeping measures can survive legal and economic scrutiny.

Date: Thursday 3rd July 2025

Time: 17:30 - 19:30

Location: 2 Lord North Street, SW1P 3LB

Sign Up Here

Welcome to the 2025 Vinson Centre Annual Conference! Join us at the Vinson Centre for the Public Understanding of Economics and Entrepreneurship for a day filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and engaging sessions.

This in-person event is a must-attend for anyone interested in the intersection of economics and entrepreneurship. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with industry experts and fellow enthusiasts. Save the date and get ready for an enriching experience!

Schedule

Opening

9.45 am - Coffee and welcome.

10.00 am – Welcome by Professor James Tooley (Vice-Chancellor, University of Buckingham), Professor Juan Castañeda, Director of the Vinson Centre (University of Buckingham) and Professor Mark Pennington, Director of the Centre for the Study of Governance and Society (King’s College London).

10.15 am Opening lecture - "Equality of Permission as the Essential Liberalism.". By Professor Deirdre McCloskey (CATO Institute).

10.45 am – Discussion.

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Session 1

Chairperson: Professor Martin Ricketts (University of Buckingham).

11.15 am – Professor Mark Pennington (King’s College London) – Foucault, Post-modernism, and Classical Liberalism. 11.45 am – Dr Steve Davies (Institute of Economic Affairs) – Lost traditions in Classical Liberalism in the 19th century.

12.15 pm – Dr Paola Romero (London School of Economics) – Conservatism: The Odd Uncle of Classical Liberalism".

12.45 pm – Discussion.

1.15 pm – Break for lunch.

Session 2

Chairperson: Dr Linda Edwards (Institute of Economic Affairs).

2.00 pm – Dr Phillip Magness (Independent Institute) – Anticapitalism and antiliberal causes since the global financial crisis.

2.30 pm – Professor Paul D. Aligica (Mercatus Center) – Collective Identity, Governance Frameworks, and the Architecture of Freedom: Liberal Nationalism Reconsidered.

3.00 pm – Discussion.

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Session 3

Chairperson: Professor Paul D. Aligica (Mercatus Center).

3.30 pm – Dr Edwin Van de Haar (Independent Scholar) – A classical Liberal approach to international relations.

4.00 pm – Lord Syed Kamall (Vinson Centre) – A classical liberal vision on the world order and the current 'tariffs war'.

4.30 pm – Discussion.

5.00 pm – Coffee break

Session 4

Chairperson: Dr Gabriel Calzada (Universidad de las Hesperides).

5.15 pm – Professor Philip Booth (St Marys University) and Professor Christian Bjørnskov (Aarhus University) - Classical Liberalism: a dialogue between Public Choice School and the Austrian School.

6.00 pm – Discussion.

6.30 pm – Drinks reception. End of formal proceedings of the conference by the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Humanities & Social sciences (Professor Deba Bardhan Correia).

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Join us for a conversation between Sir Tim Lankester (former economic private secretary to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) and Dr Juan Castaneda (University of Buckingham) on Tim's book: 'Inside Thatcher's Monetarism Experiment The Promise, the Failure, the Legacy' (Policy Press, 2024), to be hosted by Professor James Tooley (University of Buckingham).

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Date: Wednesday 14th May, 2025

Time: 17:00 - 19:00

Location: Enterprise Hub, Vinson Building (1st floor), University of Buckingham

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In Making Speeches, Dr Tom Hurst assesses Margaret Thatcher’s speechmaking process from 1975 to 1990. In so doing, Hurst can offer a fresh insight into Mrs Thatcher as a politician and into her articulation of ‘Thatcherism’. Making Speeches is an important book for anybody interested in Thatcherism or modern British political history.

Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP is the MP for Maldon, former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and was Margaret Thatcher’s Political Secretary as Prime Minister from 1989.

Spaces are limited and will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis, with priority given to paid IEA Insider subscribers.

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The discussion starts at 18:30 and will be preceded by drinks from 18:00. Spaces are limited and will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to vipevents@iea.org.uk or call 020 7799 8910.

Full details are below, for reference.

IEA ‘In Conversation with Dr Tom Hurst and Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP

Date: Monday 28^th April

Time: 18:00 drinks, 18:30 discussion start

Location: IEA (2 Lord North Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3LB)