Qui Bono?

The UK has something called the Better Regulation Commission, which advises the government how to "reduce unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens and ensure that regulation and its enforcement are proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted." Given the nature of government, I'm skeptical that such a commission would actually lighten the regulatory burden in any significant way. One reason was identified by the commission's chairman, Rick Haythornthwaite in the Financial Times the other day:

Red tape is the unloved enemy of reason. At least, that is the orthodoxy... On the one hand, we publicly rail against it. But on the other, there are many who privately benefit from complex and excessive regulation. It supports an industry of regulatory consultants and can act as a convenient barrier to market entry.

Precisely!

Hat tip: Jude Blanchette.