'Brexit': IEA offers €100,000 prize for best essay on UK exit from EU plan

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23322122

'Brexit': IEA offers prize for UK exit plan from EU

The prize money for the best essay plan is 100,000 euros - or £86,000.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has announced that it is holding a competition to find the best plan for a UK exit from the European Union.

The free-market think tank said it would award its Brexit Prize to whoever came up with the best blueprint for the UK after the EU, covering the country's withdrawal and post-exit repositioning.

The winning entry will be awarded 100,000 euros (£86,525).

The IEA said it was time to look at how the UK might fare without the EU.

It said: "We need to give serious consideration to how the UK could have a free and prosperous economy outside the EU, given that exit is a serious possibility after the next election."

Entrants, who can be individuals or corporate bodies, are invited to submit a 2,000-word outline proposal by 16 September. The authors of about 20 of those entries will be given four months to produce a more detailed version.

The nine judges include former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Lawson, who wrote a newspaper article in May calling for the UK to leave the EU.

Another judge is economist Roger Bootle, founder of Capital Economics, who won last year's £250,000 Wolfson Economics prize awarded for the best plan for dealing with member states leaving the eurozone.

Lord Lawson said he welcomed the IEA's initiative, adding: "Now that we have been promised an in-out referendum on Britain and the EU in 2017, it is essential that this momentous decision is preceded by a well-informed debate. The winning entries in this competition will be an important contribution to that process."

I'm tempted even though I wouldn't stand a chance. Might give it a thought as something to do after my holidays. I know Dr Richard North and friends over at the EU Referendum blog are compiling an essay together, and i'd be surprised if he didn't win tbh.

Thoughts?

[dbgtz]

Seen this and I'm also tempted I have time to kill so I thought to myself, may as well. Something to stop my brain going into mush more than anything else. I do wonder why the prize is in euros though.

[GommeInc]

You may as well go for it. It's a shame they haven't considered a few essay prizes - one for academics, one for students and one from another view point, maybe younger or of a deeply professional view point?

[dbgtz]

You may as well go for it. It's a shame they haven't considered a few essay prizes - one for academics, one for students and one from another view point, maybe younger or of a deeply professional view point?

First prize is €100,000, second prize is €10,000 and third prize is €5,000. There will a special prize of €5,000 for the best entry from an individual aged 30 or under.
http://www.iea.org.uk/brexit