And the Free Enterprise Award goes to ...
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 Last night I attended a reception to celebrate the presentation of the National Free Enterprise Award to Dr Eamonn Butler (left) and Dr Madsen Pirie, directors of the hugely influential Adam Smith Institute. (Photo: Amanda Pyatt)
The NFE Award is presented annually and the winners are chosen by a group of independent experts. Previous winners include Lord Lawson, Richard Branson, Lord King, Baroness Thatcher, Lord Forte and Sir Freddie Laker.
Yesterday's event featured short speeches by Terence Kealey (vice chancellor, Buckingham University, and a former winner of the award) and Andrew Neil, former editor of the Sunday Times and currently presenter of the Daily Politics and The Week on BBC1.
I've known Madsen and Eamonn for 30 years. I think I've told this story before, but they helped me get my first job after I graduated from university in 1980. I was in London for an interview with a rather boring business magazine. It didn't go very well (thanks for asking), although they had a rather nice office overlooking the green in Richmond.
Afterwards I arranged to meet an old friend (who was also at last night's event). We met in the Albert pub in Victoria Street and he introduced me to Madsen and Eamonn. Also in the pub was their friend Michael Forsyth (now Lord Forsyth of Drumlean). In those days Michael was director of a PR company. We were introduced and he invited me for an interview before offering me a job with an initial salary of £3,500 pa (enough to pay the rent but not enough to afford a car!).
Four years later Madsen got me another job - working for a well-known organisation whose magazine I edited for 15 years - so I have a lot to be grateful to him for.
As for Andrew Neil, the last time I saw him in person he was addressing 400 guests at a Forest dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London (see below). You can read a full report HERE.
Reader Comments (1)
Having met both Madsen and Eamonn, for people of outsanding intellect they are extraordinarily personable and approachable.
I hope I am not being to indiscrete but I was chatting to Madsen at the Libertarian Christmas bash in the Liberal Club and was regretting he could not have a cigar with his drink.
With Madsen and Eamonn at the Adam Smith Institute, Mark Littlewood at the Institute of Economic Affairs, and Dr. Tim Evans at the Cobden Centre, the free market is in very good hands. This means that on private property there is a presumption that choice is in the hands and discretion of the owner.