Fifty years ago, Britain was in crisis. The music was good, but the economy was a mess. We were forced to go to the International Monetary Fund for a deeply-damaging bailout. The UK needed a new direction - that's why Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph founded the Centre for Policy Studies. A full half century on, our new Director, the economist and journalist @LiamHalligan, is arguing for another policy revolution now: lower taxes, cheaper energy, affordable welfare, an economy that rewards work and enterprise. Britain’s problems are urgent – we're on the brink of another bailout. But we changed course fifty years ago - and with the right ideas, we can do so again. The Centre for Policy Studies - where the fightback begins.

Robert breaks down his new paper 'The Future of the Green Belt' - complete with drone footage of some of the less green bits... 👇

A bigger state or a smaller state focused on growth? CPS Director @LiamHalligan explains the battle of ideas between Andy Burnham and Kemi Badenoch - and what their competing visions mean for Britain’s future.

Britain ranks 30th out of 38 OECD countries for tax competitiveness. In a new report, Daniel Herring at the Centre for Policy Studies warns that a wealth tax and higher capital gains tax would make Britain even less competitive - making the UK the least tax-efficient place in the OECD to own property. cps.org.uk/research/a-wealth…

What do small businesses need to see from the next Budget? @rcolvile and @OpiniumResearch have the answers 👇

“The trains didn’t improve. The money was spent on some repaint jobs so Labour ministers could have their photos taken.” Andrew Griffith, Shadow Chancellor, speaks to CPS Director @liamhalligan at Conservative Party Conference about Labour’s renationalisations and misguided expansion of the state.

The IMF says that Britain “stands out” as the only major advanced economy set to reduce government borrowing over the coming years.But, based on previous behaviour, the fiscal constraints written into Labour’s spending plans are highly unlikely to materialise. "One thing we know about this Labour Party is that it hates cutting spending," says Daniel Herring, Head of Economic and Fiscal Policy at The Centre of Policy Studies. Previous attempts to remove the winter fuel allowance or trim welfare spending were reversed after a backbench rebellion. And that was straight after, rather than in the run-up to, a general election. So you have to have somewhat heroic levels of trust to believe that Labour ministers will stick to these spending plans. “The fact is,” says Herring, “no chancellor for a long time, of whatever party, has stuck to their fiscal rules …. That’s why we are in danger – a major shock will blow up these plans and expose the UK to the wrath of international lenders, who will demand radical cuts to public spending, which will hurt the people Labour are trying to help” Read the full @CapX piece here: capx.co/the-imf-has-fallen-f…

Tax rises are coming, but how much more can Britain take? CPS External Affairs Director @emmamrevell argues that growing spending commitments risk another round of tax rises - driving away the people and investment we need to grow. There is another path… reform spending, face the difficult choices and make it easier to build a business in Britain.