Foreword The purpose of the Hobart Papers is to contribute a stream of authoritative, independent and readable commentary to the discussion of economic opinion and policy. Their general purpose is to ...

Summary Immigration restrictions severely undermine the economic freedom of receiving-country citizens, as well as that of potential migrants. This impact affects both the ‘negative’ economic freedom ...

Summary Red tape significantly contributes to the higher cost of living in the United Kingdom. The Consumer Price Index increased by 80% between 2000 and 2023. However, there is significant price ...

UK prices are at the IEA median of 10.17p/kWh, slightly above those in France and a bit below those in Germany. The price differential compared to the US is less pronounced, but domestic gas prices in ...

Summary The internet has challenged the traditional news publisher business model by increasing competition for audiences and advertising revenue. Publishers have responded by seeking revenue ...

Colonialism and the slave trade were, at best, minor factors in Britain’s prosperity and may have been net lossmakers. An increasingly prominent anti-capitalist narrative claims that empire and ...

The UK’s trade patterns with the EU fail to show a Brexit effect, either since the referendum or the end of the transition period. Trade continued to grow between 2016 and the conclusion of the Brexit ...

Abstract The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the effect of lockdowns, also referred to as ‘Covid restrictions’, ‘social distancing measures’ etc., on COVID-19 ...

Private schools are, on the whole, a good thing. They give parents greater choice in their children’s education, provide the state sector much needed competition and attract money from abroad by ...

Summary The cost-of-living crisis has been worsened by longer-term structural factors, beyond the immediate issues posed by loose monetary policy and supply-side constraints. Indeed, there were ...

The overview highlights the academic consensus on harmful consequences. Most studies (56 out of 65) find that rent controls succeed in lowering rents for controlled units, as intended. However, 14 out ...

Summary A ban on disposable vaping products would take away a safer choice from millions of adult smokers. It is already illegal to sell vaping products to under-18s. The scale of youth vaping is ...