Now that Mark Littlewood has announced he’s stepping down as the Institute of Economic Affair’s Director General, one of the top jobs in wonk world is up for grabs. It is a high profile gig which will inevitably attract interest from all of Westminster’s brightest free marketeers. Littlewood steered the ship for 14 years; whoever comes next will have a lot to live up to. As well as formulating policies the IEA has incubated and nurtured free market talent – an important part of its role now the universities churn out ideologically uniform leftists. The job requires a mixture of talents: a policy guru with executive competence and a touch of media showmanship.
Here are some of the potential runners and riders…
The IEA is not without home grown internal candidates:
The IEA are accepting applications now, so wonks should dust off their CVs…
N.B: The list above is not hierarchical. It is (mostly) arbitrary. Write that cover letter, Liz.
A big change in Westminster wonk-land, following Neil Record standing down after 8 years as chairman of its Board of Trustees, Mark Littlewood is stepping down as the Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs, with the hunt for a successor to the 14-year veteran already underway. Littlewood will stay in post until the appointment is made, after which, all being well, he’ll head down the road to sit on the Lords’ red benches. A big change in Wonk World…
Littlewood tells Guido:
“It’s never easy to judge the right time to move on from a job you truly love. My time here at the IEA has been the most fulfilling and enjoyable period of my working career. I have worked alongside brilliant and inspiring colleagues and made lifelong friendships. But this feels like about the right time to move on. I feel if I don’t leave this role soon, I might stay here forever and however much that appeals in concept, change can be a force for good. I wish my successor every success in what is one of the best jobs in Britain and will do everything to support them in taking the IEA to ever greater heights”.
Wannabe candidates can apply here. New Chairman of the Board of Trustees Linda Edwards says they’re looking for someone who can “[uphold] the IEA’s legacy while leading the organisation into its next phase of growth and impact”. Does Liz fancy her chances?
N.B. Guido will be looking into potential runners and riders soon.
Mark Littlewood on his friend from his student days, Prime Minister Truss
“I suspect we are about to bear witness to the most radical British Prime Minister in over a century.
We can expect to see a whirlwind of activity and announcements from the very first minutes of her entering Downing Street. Given the speed she is going to have to operate at, there inevitably will be missteps. But the overall direction of travel in the Truss administration will be crystal clear – to move power and money away from the state bureaucracy and into the hands of ordinary men and women.
It remains to be seen exactly how far she can move Britain in that direction in the limited time she has available to her, but I can’t wait to find out.”
On tonight’s Live with Littlewood – US Special, we’ll be asking:
Host and IEA Director General Mark Littlewood will be joined by:
On tonight’s Live with Littlewood, we’ll be asking whether the Chancellor’s Spring Statement will provide the security he promises. Will the Tories ever slash taxes? Is state largesse here to stay? And how can the government go for growth?
IEA Director General Mark Littlewood will be joined by MP Greg Smith, Economist Vicky Pryce, Duncan Simpson of the TaxPayers’ Alliance and the IEA’s own Christopher Snowdon.
Tune in from 6pm here.
Mark Littlewood warns Rishi Sunak…
“We’re basically at the taxable limit of the economy… The priority should be growth, growth, growth.”