Time to roll back the ‘harmful' nanny state

BRITAIN needs to roll back the nanny state and give its citizens more freedom to manage their own health and finances, an independent think tank has suggested.

- Karen Rockett

The UK has languished behind fellow European countries in terms of "lifestyle freedom" for many years, according to the Institute of Economic Affairs.

It has now published proposals to make Britain the freest country in Europe.

Their Nanny State Index ranks 30 nations on the over-regulation of food, soft drinks, alcohol and nicotine products, from most paternalist to freest. The UK, they say, always finishes in the top half.

Dr Christopher Snowdon, head Lifestyle Economics at the IEA and author of Defanging the Nanny State, said: "Nanny state policies are intended to deter consenting adults from engaging in certain activities, but they are usually ineffective and have a harmful impact on the economy, consumers and welfare." The IEA is advocating policy changes to move the UK to the bottom of the NSI rankings and "make it the freest country in Europe -without taking the guard rails off".