Eurozone debt crisis: how Greece could exit the euro

You can read the article in full on Telegraph.co.uk here. 

Summary

Following the ASI's entry to the Wolfson Competition the Daily Telegraph examines how Greece could leave the Euro and the key events which our fellow, Miles Saltiel, thinks are necessary to allow as smooth a transition as possible. 

The HMRC's report into the former 50p rate provides the evidence for substantial tax cuts

Read on ConservativeHome here. 

Summary

Peter Young, fiscal policy adviser at the Adam Smith Institute, looks at HMRC's report into the revenue effect of the 50p income tax rate. He argues at ConservativeHome the report provides evidence that the government  should cut the rate to 40%, not 45p, in order to boost both revenue and growth. 

Minimum alcohol pricing will hurt the poor

In response to Cameron’s announcement today on plans for a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol, Sam Bowman, Head of Research at the Adam Smith Institute argues that it is a terrible policy idea:

“Minimum alcohol pricing is intensely regressive. It only hurts poor and frugal drinkers, leaving drinkers of expensive wines and other drinks untouched. Minimum alcohol pricing is anti-fun Victorian paternalism, and the government is engaged in a misguided moral crusade against drinking. 

“In fact, there is no significant drinking problem in Britain. We drink less than we did ten years ago and less than we did one hundred years ago. Britons drink less per person than the French, Germans, Spanish, Belgians and Czechs.

“Minimum alcohol pricing is the beginning of a slippery slope: the minimum pricing rate will creep upwards  and affect currently-untouched drinks. All drinkers should oppose this, because by the time the minimum price rises to affect them directly, it will be too late.”
 

Coverage on the 2012 Budget

The Adam Smith Institute appeared on a variety of TV, radio, print and online news sites commenting on Osborne's announcements both pre and post speech. Below are some of the highlights:

• Dr Eamonn Butler on the Jeff Randall Show, Sky News discussing the expected changes in taxes.

• Dr Madsen Pirie on the Today Programme arguing against government intervention in business and for less regulation and taxes.

• ASI Fellow Alex Singleton on the Jeremy Vine Show defending the need to scrap the 50p tax rate.

• Sam Bowman on Al Arabiya TV giving his reaction to Osborne's announcements.

• Dr Madsen Pirie writes in City AM an entrepreneur's wish list for the budget.

• Sam Bowman writes in the New Statesman on his dream budget proposal: legalising and taxing drugs.

• Sally Thompson writing on Politics.co.uk on the need to reduce the tax burden and simplify the tax system to generate growth.

• Dr Eamonn Butler writes in the Spectator Coffee House on how Osborne can learn from Adam Smith on taxation.

• Sam Bowman took part in a live blog on Reuters, giving his immediate reactions as the Budget policies were announced. 

• Tom Clougherty's criticises the tax hike on cigarettes in The Sun.

• The ASI's reaction to the 50p tax rate and lowering of the 40p tax threshold feature in the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph and ConservativeHome.

Legalise and tax drugs

Read on the New Statesman here. 

Summary

Sam Bowman writes in the New Statesman on the one thing he would like to see Osborne do in his budget: legalise and tax drugs. 

Has Osborne learnt the right lessons from Adam Smith?

Read in the Spectator Coffee House here. 

Summary

Dr Eamonn Butler writes in the Spectator on the lessons the Chancellor should learn from Adam Smith to help the working poor. 

Should government intervene in business?

Dr Madsen Pirie appears on the BBC Radio 4's Today Programme arguing that government should not intervene in business, but instead should get out of the way, deregulate and lower taxation and create the optimum environment for private sector growth.

You can listen to his debate with Will Straw at the IPPR here. 

Entrepreneur's wish list for Wednesday's budget

Read in CityAM here. 

Summary

Dr Madsen Pirie details in City AM the proposals needed in the 2012 budget to support entrepreneurship in the UK.

Planning for growth and prosperity

Read on ConservativeHome here. 

Summary

ASI author Tom Papworth details his proposals for the radical reform of the planning system to unlock growth in the UK on ConservativeHome. 

Scrap Green Belt to boost GDP growth

Read in CityAM here.

Summary

City AM covers our latest report arguing that we need radical reform of the planning system and calls for the Green Belt to be scrapped to prevent a housing crisis.