End of an era?

I was intrigued to hear that Chris Snowdon is leaving the Institute of Economic Affairs.

In his own words he isn’t “disappearing”, nor is he taking a corporate job. Nevertheless, after 14 years it does feel like the end of an era so I’d like to pay a short tribute because he really has made the issue of lifestyle freedoms his own.

Even his job title at the IEA – Head of Lifestyle Economics – was invented for him and I suspect it will disappear with his departure.

As it happens, our paths first crossed in 2009, several years before Chris joined the IEA, when he published his first book, Velvet Glove Iron Fist: A History of Anti-Smoking. A few weeks before inviting him to sign copies at a Forest event at Boisdale of Belgravia, I wrote:

I can't speak highly enough of this extraordinary labour of love. I've read many books on smoking and this is the best by far. It's a superb read. To use that old cliche, it's a page-turner, which is some achievement. It's packed with information but it's also very readable - serious yet hugely entertaining.

Better still, this is no fire-breathing polemic. The amount of research that has gone into it is staggering. And the tone is moderate throughout which is important because it will appeal to a far wider readership.

Since then I can’t remember him ever declining a request to speak at one of our events, whether it be in London or a fringe meeting at multiple party conferences. He even attended two events in Dublin, one of them a private dinner where he was our guest speaker.

Anyway, I don’t want this to read like an obituary because, according to the man himself, “You won’t notice much of a change” which suggests a move to another think tank, perhaps, or a new initiative devoted to similar goals. Either way I look forward to whatever comes next.

In the meantime here are some images that serve as a fond reminder of some of the events mentioned above. Scroll down and you’ll also see a photo taken at the launch of Velvet Glove Iron Fist in 2009.

For more on that event, which also celebrated Forest’s 30th anniversary, see On this day … 15 years ago.