John Blundell is the former Director General and Ralph Harris Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Blundell has been involved in the creation and development of numerous free-market think tanks. Born in Congleton, Cheshire, on 9 October 1952, he was educated at King's School, Macclesfield, and at the London School of Economics. He headed the Press, Research and Parliamentary Liaison Office at the Federation of Small Businesses from 1977 to 1982, and was a London Borough of Lambeth councillor from 1978 to 1982. From 1982 to 1993 he was resident in the United States, where he was President of the Institute for Humane Studies (1988-1991); President of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation (1987-1991); President of the Board of the Congressional Schools of Virginia (1988-1992); and President of the Charles G. Koch and Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundations (1991-1992)