The other day, we had our inaugural private EPC dinner with politicians, thought-leaders and leading members of the business community – it was terrific. And we had a real treat, because Dr Eamonn Butler of the Adam Smith Institute agreed to step in at the last moment to speak about his new book;
The Alternative Manifesto – a 12 step programme to remake Britain
I haven’t yet read the whole book, but having read the chapter on tax, I can tell you, it’s very fluently written and cogently argued in a non-technical, accessible way. I’m sure it will do well. I’m also quite into the can-do, will-succeed ethos that pervades this oeuvre. And, more than that, as well as being without ego, I’m very struck by the way Eamonn goes out of his way to give credit to other people – all too rare in today’s plagiaristic copy and past world. In my view, those two character traits show true intellectual class.
The good doctor is also pretty nifty with an iphone – he was asked to speak for 10 minutes and did so to the second, timing himself, as I noticed out of the corner of my eye, with some slick countdown app !