Minimal Government-UK

A German friend who used to work for Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Thailand, Patrick Lohlein, later moved to London to work in a private company, is putting up a new think tank there called "Minimal Government-UK". I kidded him, thanking him for putting up a "branch" of MG Philippines in UK :-). He wrote me a few days ago asking if it's ok with me to use MG, I said 101 percent no problem.

Patrick's vision of MG-UK is "to represent the interests of small businesses, the self-employed and anyone else who is opposed to excessive government intervention in society and economy."

He said that he's getting a lot of support from local businesses and already have plans for several campaigns aimed at media and politicans. But he is still "seeking to network with more economists and other academics, who may be interested to get involved, either in a purely voluntary capacity, or within view to becoming a director of the organisation."

MG-UK will have 3 main areas of concern:

1. Overall size of government sector is far too large and must be cut back to fit what is necessary only.

2. Health and Safety fetishism of the political elite is destroying freedom and individual responsibility and undermining entrepreneurship and employment generation.

3. Much environmental and conservation legislation is unscientific and even counter-productive, and should therefore be repealed.

I am flattered of course, that the name Minimal Government will be used by another think tank in another country. It's actually easy to explain to other people when they ask, "what do you do?" My standard answer is just one sentence: "We are a private, independent think tank advocating minimal or less government."

Good luck, Patrick!