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Monthly News (November 2017)
Dear Bill
There’s been some major news items this month starting with the release of the Paradise Papers which shows what we all really knew, that those most able to pay taxes tend not to – and some will go to extraordinary lengths to minimise what they pay or avoid paying altogether. The revelations in the Paradise Papers have been all the harder to stomach given the apparent unfolding disaster that is Universal Credit and the related surge in homelessness and food bank usage.
All this set the scene for the Budget later in the month which saw some extra spending on housing, universal credit and the NHS but didn’t do much to address our vast inequality and poverty. We urged the Chancellor to look to the richest people in society to pay more, particularly the 1,000 individuals who feature in the tasteless Sunday Times Rich List, but the opportunity was missed to shake the Magic Money Tree. Thanks to all of you who joined our social media campaign and so helped keep the pressure on. If you are still in campaigning mode, please urge your MP to support Harriet Harman’s EDM on implementing the Socio-economic Duty. This is a long-term Equality Trust campaign ask with our friends at Just Fair.
As we go to press, we are currently in the middle of our Big Give Christmas Challenge [THIS APPEAL HAS NOW CLOSED], please do give if you can to support our work in working with young people to tackle the hugely damaging inequality that currently threatens their futures. We are also looking forward to the Inaugural Richard Wilkinson Lecture on 7th December which is now fully booked. The talk will no doubt be an excellent scene-setter for Richard & Kate Pickett’s new book, due out in summer 2018.
LATEST BLOGS & COMMENT
– Social Mobility Report Demonstrates Urgent Need To Reduce Inequality
– Cinema Celebrating Working People (Guest Blog)
– Equality Trust Responds To Budget 2017
– Budget 2017: We’ve Found The Magic Money Tree (Tell The Chancellor)
– Extreme Inequality: Our National Shame
– Paradise for the Few Not for the Many
– Civic Engagement: Our Response to the House of Lords Select Committee
LATEST LOCAL GROUP NEWS
There’s been plenty going on this month including talks, lobbying and community outreach. Read on to find out more…
KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND REPORTS
– Apart from the Paradise Papers….
– In-depth Budget 2017 analysis from the IFS and Resolution Foundation.
– Shocking report from Shelter on our homelessness crisis.
– New LSE & Oxfam report on the links between inequality and poverty.
– Extreme health inequalities – comment from Sir Michael Marmot.
– After Grenfell – the return of ricketts and TB in Kensington.
INEQUALITY IN THE NEWS
– Landlords refusing to deal with people on Universal Credit.
– Link between Universal Credit roll-out and food-bank demand getting stronger.
– Nice festive giving idea – the reverse Advent calendar.
– Eye-watering inequality reported by Credit Suisse bank.
– Start the Week on Radio 4 on anger and deprivation.
– Disability benefits changes causing anguish.
– Archbishop of Canterbury laments UK in-work poverty.
– Food bank usage likely to peak this Christmas.
BEST INEQUALITY READS
– The myths of the 1% and what drives US inequality (with lessons for the UK).
– Good article on the importance of the welfare state.
– Our very own Wanda Wyporska on the poison of inequality.
– New insights on how we might get the rich to care about climate change.
– Branko Milanovic and a challenge to the idea of de-growth.
PLEASE NOTE: THE NEXT MONTHLY NEWS WILL COME OUT AT THE END OF JANUARY 2018 AND WILL COVER THE DEC-JAN PERIOD.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support which helps to keep our campaign going. Regular financial support enables us to plan our work better but further one-off contributions are also most welcome. You can also support our work by forwarding this bulletin to people you know who might be interested. Thank you!