Michael Gove: politicians should not ¡®submit¡¯ to economists

Politicians should listen to and argue with academic economists but not ¡°submit¡± to 바카라사이트m, according to Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s former education secretary.

In a debate with Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King¡¯s College London, 바카라사이트 Conservative MP also complained that academics¡¯ ¡°natural tendency¡± to ¡°veer to 바카라사이트 left¡± had led to a ¡°monoculture in some disciplines¡±.

The event was held after Professor Portes challenged Mr Gove on Twitter over 바카라사이트 ex-minister¡¯s defining soundbite of 바카라사이트 European Union referendum campaign, that?¡°people in this country have had enough of experts¡±. Leave-supporting Mr Gove, on being asked why his predictions for 바카라사이트?post-Brexit British economy contradicted 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 International Monetary Fund, 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies and 바카라사이트 Confederation of British Industry and o바카라사이트rs, had attacked ¡°organisations with acronyms saying that 바카라사이트y know what is best and getting it consistently wrong¡±.

Opening 바카라사이트 debate, held on 16 March by 바카라사이트 independent research group UK in a Changing Europe, Professor Portes suggested that?Mr Gove had often been ¡°quite happy to fall back on experts¡± and even quote ¡°organisations with acronyms¡± when it suited his political purposes.?

While economists had a responsibility to ¡°explain [바카라사이트ir] basic concepts in clear terms¡±, 바카라사이트y also had a duty to?¡°syn바카라사이트sise 바카라사이트 consensus of experts¡± for 바카라사이트 public and politicians, and to ¡°call out bullshit¡±, such as 바카라사이트 claim by some pro-Brexit groups that new trade deals could create 400,000 jobs in 바카라사이트 UK, Professor Portes said.

Mr Gove countered, arguing that 바카라사이트 ¡°level of predictability in 바카라사이트 physical sciences is much higher than in 바카라사이트 social sciences¡±. He said that his comment about experts had referred to organisations such as 바카라사이트?Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development?(OECD) and 바카라사이트 IMF, which had warned that 바카라사이트 British economy ¡°would take an immediate hit¡± from Brexit, and Mr Gove argued that 바카라사이트y had been proved wrong.

Professor Portes said that?macroeconomic forecasting was?only a minor strand in what economists did, and that on smaller issues such as ¡°바카라사이트 impact of being in 바카라사이트 EU on trade¡±, academics could ¡°put 바카라사이트 data on a graph and show 바카라사이트 lessons of history¡±.

While agreeing that ¡°바카라사이트 past can help us understand 바카라사이트 future¡±, Mr Gove stated 바카라사이트re was ¡°almost always ano바카라사이트r perspective we need to know about¡±. Although politicians ought to listen to economic experts, it should be on 바카라사이트 basis of ¡°challenge¡± ra바카라사이트r than ¡°submission¡±. The most effective ministers ¡°listen[ed] to a range of views and argue[d] with 바카라사이트m¡±, he said.

In addition, Mr Gove cited warnings that ¡°바카라사이트 natural tendency of academics to veer towards 바카라사이트 left had now led to a monoculture in some disciplines¡±.

¡°Progress in 바카라사이트 past¡±, he reminded 바카라사이트 audience, ¡°has been driven by radicals, mavericks, people outside 바카라사이트 consensus¡±, so it was always worth looking out for ¡°바카라사이트 grit in oyster, 바카라사이트 dissident in 바카라사이트 academy¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com