UK PM Liz Truss could scrap anti-obesity strategy in drive to cut cost

Polly Mackenzie, who was Nick Clegg’s policy adviser when he was the Lib Dem deputy prime minister in the coalition government, says Truss cannot abandon regulation that reduces obesity, and keep taxes low, and fund a health service able to deal with the consequences of obesity all at the same time.

Here’s the thing:

You can have a low regulation society in which people and businesses are allowed to create harms like obesity, workplace stress, air pollution.

But your health costs are going to be massive. So you need high taxes to pay for low regulation… https://t.co/2SupFjPUf0

— Polly Mackenzie (@pollymackenzie) September 14, 2022

Now – regulation is cost, just applied differently. So people will disagree about which is better:

Tax to pay for the externalities people/businesses create – leaving more freedom for innovation.

Regulate to reduce the externalities – lowering taxes but curtailing freedom…

— Polly Mackenzie (@pollymackenzie) September 14, 2022