Paul Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Provost ofThe Queen's College, Oxford | |
| Assumed office 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Claire Craig |
| Director of theInstitute for Fiscal Studies | |
| In office 2011–2025 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Chote |
| Succeeded by | Helen Miller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1967-01-05)5 January 1967 (age 58) |
| Nationality | British |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Keble College, Oxford Birkbeck, University of London |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Economics |
| Sub-discipline | |
| Institutions | Institute for Fiscal Studies University College London The Queen's College, Oxford |
Paul Gavin JohnsonCBE FAcSS (born 5 January 1967) is a Britisheconomist. Since 2025, he has been theprovost ofThe Queen's College, Oxford.[1] He served as director of theInstitute for Fiscal Studies from 2011 until 2025. He is also a columnist for The Times, and avisiting professor in Economics at theDepartment of Economics,University College London. He is author of the best selling bookFollow the Money and a frequent contributor to written and broadcast media.
The son of Robert and Joy Johnson,[2] he was educated atKings Manor School,Shoreham-by-Sea. Having won a college scholarship, he studiedPolitics, Philosophy, and Economics atKeble College, Oxford, and graduated with afirst class honoursBachelor of Arts (BA) degree. He undertook postgraduate studies in economics atBirkbeck College, London, graduating with aMaster of Science (MSc) degree.[2][3]
Johnson's first job was at theInstitute for Fiscal Studies, where he remained from 1988 to 1998, in the last two years serving as a deputy director.[2]
From September 1998 to January 1999 he was an advisor on pensions and welfare reform in theCabinet Office.[3] He was also head of Economics of Financial Regulation at theFinancial Services Authority, 1998–2000, before being appointed as chief economist and director of analytical services to the Department for Education and Employment, soon renamed as theDepartment for Education and Skills, remaining until 2004. That year he went toHM Treasury as Director of Public Services and Chief Micro-Economist, continuing in post until 2007. He was also deputy head of theGovernment Economic Service from 2005 to 2007.[2][4]
Between 2007 and 2010 he was a senior associate at Frontier Economics. In 2011 he was appointed as director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.[2][4]
Johnson was a member of theEconomic and Social Research Council from 2002 to 2007[3] and a member of theCommittee on Climate Change from 2012 to 2023.
He has carried outreviews of automatic enrolment for the government,inflation measurement for the UK Statistics Authority and oftax devolution for the Northern Ireland Executive.
On 17 October 2024, his pre-election as provost ofThe Queen's College, Oxford was announced. He succeededClaire Craig as provost on 1 August 2025.[5]
Johnson stated in November 2022 the government was "reaping the costs of a long-term failure to grow the economy", together with an ageing population and high borrowing levels. Johnson maintained the nation became much poorer, conditions were, he maintained worse than necessary due to "a series of economic own goals." Johnson stated "own goals" included "reducing investment spending" and reduced spending on vocational and further education. Johnson maintainedBrexit was economically damaging Johnson said that theSeptember 2022 United Kingdom mini-budget was obviously unhelpful.[6]
Johnson has said the UK political system is made up oftechnocratic, ideological and democratic elements, and that a purely technocrat government "would be a disaster" because it "wouldn't be listening to the people." Political decisions are often difficult trade-offs made with imperfect knowledge of future outcomes.[7]
In the2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, Johnson was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "for services to the social sciences and economics".[8] He was elected aFellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) in 2018.[9]
He holds honorary doctorates from the universities of Exeter, York and Sussex and from University College London.[citation needed] He is anhonorary fellow of hisalma mater Keble College, Oxford.[10]
Johnson has four sons with economistLorraine Dearden.[2][11] They were divorced in 2021 and he now lives with his new partner Nicola Wilberforce, a teacher, inHighgate.[3]
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