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We need to talk about the Institute for Fiscal Studies

The IFS prides itself on being independent and objective. But its analysis often resembles ideology masquerading as science.

By John Weeks
We need to talk about the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Images
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In recent weeks political parties have started to announce their policy platforms for the forthcoming general election. Numerous organisations, including the Progressive Economy Forum (PEF), will be offering expert assessments of these policies and manifestos.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) is perhaps the most well-known of these organisations. Its analysis frequently crowds out that of other institutions, such as the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Women's’ Budget Group.

On its donations page, the IFS describes its purpose as follows:

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0