Win-Win with Liv Boeree

British Politician #49 - Katie Lam - Defeating Grooming Gangs, Stagnation & Safetyism

Nov 25, 2025
Guest
Katie Lam
Katie Lam, a Member of Parliament and outspoken advocate for public policy reform, delves into the UK's economic stagnation compared to the US. She critiques a culture of risk aversion that fuels the nanny state, stifling innovation and personal freedoms. Lam addresses the troubling issue of grooming gangs, emphasizing the need for honest discourse and legislative reform. She champions a permission-first government approach to boost ambition, while also calling for balance in political communication and the urgent need to embrace AI for future growth.
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INSIGHT

Risk Aversion Crushed British Ambition

  • Katie Lam argues Britain became overly risk-averse since WWII and doubled down after the 2008 crash, stifling ambition and growth.
  • She says tolerating calculated risk is essential because great achievements require failure and danger.
ANECDOTE

Windy-Day Park Shutdown Example

  • Katie Lam recounts royal parks being closed on a windy day to avoid falling-branch injuries as an example of nanny-state overreach.
  • She contrasts this with individual judgment: people can decide whether to walk near trees on a windy day.
ADVICE

Prune Thousands Of Small Rules With A Vision

  • Attack overregulation by setting a big vision that justifies pruning hundreds of small rules at once.
  • Rewire the state to assume permission by default and balance public goods instead of piling micro-regulations.
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