The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) - 2

It has come as somewhat of a shock to learn that the IFS is mainly supported by the taxpayer through fees generated by the IFS from the BBC, the European Commission, the Treasury, other government ministries, quangos and the IMF. Surely there is a conflict of interest here which would preclude the IFS from commenting in public on anything the government does. Why though does the government instruct the IFS to undertake reports on its behalf if they know that some of these reports will be hostile and will be made public. Seems crazy to me - a kind of masochism. I hope the government will cease spending our money on the IFS immediately.