Dom Joly vs IEA Director on how his think tank is funded | LBC debate

Comedian Dom Joly challenges Matthew Lesh, the Director of Public Policy for the IEA, over the funding of his think tank.

Our Cross Question panel from left to right: Matthew Lesh (Director of Public Policy for the IEA), Siobhain McDonagh (Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden), Alicia Kearns (Conservative MP for Rutland and Melton), Dom Joly (Comedian and writer (also a former diplomat for the EU).

#iaindale #domjoly #crossquestion #LBC

[elftax]

Its really concerning that an organisation like the IEA that has big presence on the Govt policy can simply refuse to disclose its donors. And the fact Iain Dale can just brush it off is ridiculous.

[zetectic]

IEA doesn't publish who their donors are because it is a lot of rich people & big corporations that don't want to pay tax but tell everyone one else they are paid too much & have too many benefits.

[ianedwards]

"A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody." ~ Thomas Paine. Part of that accountability is knowing who funds or (if you're cynical) controls them.

[bingbonghippy]

Imagine having a track record of being so utterly wrong over and over and over and yet still getting invited onto shows like this...

[thefrecklepuny]

If think tanks such as the IEA are a vital part of the political process, then surely there should be scrutiny and accountability. The IEA and other 55 Tufton St groups populate the airwaves on a very regular basis, as well as gaining direct access to govt ministers. So they attempt to, not simply to persuade. But directly influence as well.

[chrisnaylor]

Well done Dom Jolly for pressing the question 👏👏👏

[ukulelelab]

it takes a comedian to ask the right questions journalists should be asking again and again for a long time

[jujutrini]

Of course Ian doesn’t see the point in asking about where a right wing funded think tank gets their funding. 😂

[SamoIsKing]

Until they start divulging who funds them, stop inviting them on these types of programs.

[thesmithjs]

Thatcher stripped national services and sold them... the economy may have grew but it was predominantly shared amongst the upper classes... the fact he sights a time period within which he clearly was not born as an example of when these things have worked says it all.

[pauljs]

The problem with Thatcherism is that eventually you run out of other people’s assets to sell.

[virtious]

If there was any lingering doubt that Iain Dale is an intellectual lightweight then this surely settles it. He knows his place and that you don’t question the IEA.

[markbailey]

What an absolute liar. He obviously never lived through the thatcher years.

[youcantalwaysgetwhatyouwan]

Skewered is how I’d best describe what Dom just did to this walking haemorrhoid

[Neil-qgcw]

Big up Dom Joly calling out this sketchy scumbag to his face. He got so flustered 😂

[kurremkarmerruk]

"I want to influence politics with my wealth, but I want to do it surreptitiously, with no accountability."

Do one.

[jaysp]

The IEA funding needs to be brought up every time they come on radio or TV. They act for their paymasters.

[MrBigSeanno]

Iain Dale, stepping in to protect his right wing paymasters, as always

[futwatchlife]

If only the media scrutinised these bodies and government as Dom Joly just did, not holding my breath

[mauromatos]

Did Ian Dale just claim that think tanks are a vital part of the political process because they think of the unthinkable.
How does anyone take this guy seriously.