The Centre for Policy Studies is delighted to announce the appointment of Liam Halligan as its next Director.
Liam is a leading economist, author, columnist and broadcaster. Since 2003, he has written his award-winning weekly Economic Agenda column in The Sunday Telegraph, regularly appears on flagship news and political programmes, and is the author of Home Truths: The UK’s Chronic Housing Shortage – How it Happened, Why it Matters and How to Solve it.
Liam will take up the role on 14 September, remaining a columnist for The Sunday Telegraph and co-host of the Telegraph’s hugely popular Planet Normal podcast.
He replaces Robert Colvile, who joined the CPS team in September 2016 as Editor of its CapX media arm before becoming Director of the CPS and Editor-in-Chief of CapX in October 2017.
Robert will remain involved with the CPS, in particular by leading a new policy programme on small business and enterprise.
Lord Spencer, Chair of the Centre for Policy Studies, said:
‘At a time when government is spending and taxing on a historic scale, and economic growth is consequently evaporating, the mission of the Centre for Policy Studies is more important than ever. I am delighted that Liam Halligan has agreed to take this mission forward, as someone who has been evangelising for our values throughout his long and distinguished career. Replacing Robert was never going to be easy but Liam is a worthy successor.’
Liam Halligan said:
‘If ever there was a time in my adult life when there was an urgent need to develop and promote free-market ideas, that time is now. The CPS – Britain’s leading centre-right think tank – is the best place from which to do that and I’m delighted to be joining at this crucial moment.’
Robert Colvile said:
‘It’s been the greatest privilege of my career to lead the Centre for Policy Studies over the past nine years. I’m delighted to welcome Liam to the CPS, as one of the country’s most vocal champions of free markets, private enterprise and fiscal sanity.’
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The Centre for Policy Studies is one of the oldest and most influential think tanks in Westminster. Co-founded by Keith Joseph and Margaret Thatcher in 1974, its continuing mission is to develop policies that widen enterprise, ownership and opportunity
- For more information please contact Emma Revell, External Affairs Director, on emma@cps.org.uk or 07931 698246
- Liam Halligan joins the CPS from the Telegraph Media Group – where he is senior economics commentator, writing his multiple-award winning ‘Economics Agenda’ weekly column since 2003. He also co-founded and co-presents the Telegraph’s ‘Planet Normal’ podcast.
He has reported from Moscow for The Economist, was Political Correspondent at The Financial Times and then spent a decade leading the economics coverage at Channel 4 News. He continues to write and present documentaries on economic and business themes for Channel Four television – and regularly appears on flagship BBC programmes including Today, Any Questions and Question Time.
Liam also has a business/consultancy career, having been Chief Economist at a leading asset management firm focused on emerging markets. He has served on the Advisory Board of the UK Department of Trade and provided expert testimony to numerous Parliamentary committees – on subjects ranging from monetary policy to housing, AI and the future of broadcasting.
His latest book, ‘Home Truths: the UK’s chronic housing shortage’, was described by The Times as ‘vivid and lucid – a brilliantly-written gem’ and by the campaigning charity Shelter as ‘full of eloquence and moral clarity: a call to arms’.
Liam Halligan holds a first-class degree in Economics from Warwick University and an M.Phil (Econ) from Oxford University. The first person in his family to attend university, he won an entrance scholarship to The John Lyon School and left as Head Boy. He is currently John Lyon’s Deputy Chair of Governors and also a Harrow School governor.
Date Added: Wednesday 15th July 2026
