by Kate McFarland | Jun 6, 2016 | News
The Guardian and The Independent reported on Sunday, June 5th that the British Labour Party is considering endorsing a universal basic income.
John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, is among the Labour Party politicians who have taken an interest in the idea. As quoted in The Guardian, McDonnell believes that recent research on UBI “makes an interesting case for a universal and unconditional payment to all, which could prepare our country for any revolution in jobs and technology to come – it is an idea Labour will be closely looking at over the next few years.”
On Monday, June 6th, he will be attending at meeting at the House of Commons to discuss a research report recently prepared by Compass, a leftwing think tank that describes itself as a “pressure group for a Good Society.”
Compass’s new report urges policymakers in the UK to investigate and trial a universal basic income, and compares two potential schemes — a full UBI, which replaces most means-tested benefits, and a “modified scheme” in which under most means-tested benefits are retained. (The authors believe that the latter could provide an initial step towards the development of the former.) In both schemes, cash benefits “are paid to everyone, without condition, and cannot be withdrawn.”
In a detailed analysis, the Compass report compares the two schemes on the basis of cost, “the number and pattern of gainers and losers” (e.g. according to income level and household type), and the impacts on poverty and inequality. Additionally, the report describes options for financing a basic income, such as a social wealth fund on the lines of the Alaskan Permanent Fund.
It concludes:
With the existing income support system increasingly ill-equipped to deal with the complexity of the modern labour market, and the impact of the technological revolution coming so fast down the track, the idea of a UBI has already been gathering growing support in the UK. It is now time for a campaign to promote a much wider debate among the public and decision makers.
The report was developed by two economists and Compass Associates, Howard Reed and Stewart Lansley. Reed is the director of the economic research and consultancy group Landman Economics, which developed the tax-benefit model that was employed in the analysis of the UBI schemes. Lansley is a visiting fellow in the School of Policy Studies, University of Bristol, and the author of several books including, most recently, A Sharing Economy: How Social Wealth Funds can Reduce Inequality and Help Balance the Books.
The Chair of Compass, Neal Lawson, has also recently spoken out to members of Britain’s progressive parties, urging them form a “progressive alliance” to “usher in a post-imperial foreign policy, introduce a basic income, end austerity and renew the social fabric of our lives.”
Howard Reed and Stewart Lansley, “Universal Basic Income: An idea whose time has come?” Compass, June 2016.
Neal Lawson, “An open letter to the SNP – it’s time to join political forces with Labour,” Commonspace, May 31, 2016.
Heather Stewart, “John McDonnell: Labour taking a close look at universal basic income,” The Guardian, June 5, 2016.
Ashley Cowburn “Labour considering backing universal basic income as official party policy,” The Independent, June 5, 2016.
Photo of John McDonnell MP CC Owen Jones, Wikimedia Commons
Thanks to my supporters on Patreon. (To see how you too can support my work for Basic Income News, click the link.)
by Kate McFarland | Jun 2, 2016 | News
The London-based New Work Order is a group for self-directed individuals building careers outside of the mainstream. In its own words, NWO is “a close-knit network of ambitious and proactive people who are building careers on our own terms.”
The NWO founders describe their journey as follows:
Our journey took us from Switzerland to London, where we met with hundreds of ambitious but frustrated people who felt trapped in a world of work where they didn’t belong.
They longed to be in control of their own destiny, to make an impact on the world in their own unique way and to experience life to the fullest, beyond the confines of a job that offered little meaning, fulfilment or freedom.
We were consistently inspired by the boldness and commitment that these people showed towards transforming their lives by doing work that mattered to them. But we also witnessed their struggles. …
NWO exists primarily to provide a support network for such individuals.
Around here, of course, many of us would say that a universal basic income is what we really need to empower all people to transform their lives through meaningful work — and thus immensely benefit members of a group like NWO.
This is why it’s fortunate that the New Work Order’s podcast recently broadcast an episode dedicated to basic income, featuring guest Scott Santens.
During the 35 minute interview, Santens describes what a basic income is, where the idea came from, how it would work in practice, and why it is necessary in our present societies. He also talks about what its like to live with a basic income, having achieved his own crowdfunded basic income in December 2015.
Stock picture of people working in coffee shop from Pexels.
by Kate McFarland | May 28, 2016 | News
Computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee — best known for his founding of the World Wide Web in 1989 — was awarded this year’s Charleston-EFG John Maynard Keynes Prize for “exceptional and inter-disciplinary talents in the spirit of John Maynard Keynes’ work, life and legacy.” If you’re wanting to add webpages to the billions that are already floating about on the World Wide Web, even if you have no knowledge in how to do so, you could get your site set up by following guides provided by Site Beginner or somewhere similar.
Partially in recognition of this achievement, Berners-Lee was interviewed by The Economist in a recent podcast, where he was presented with a question from a member of the Keynes family, The Economist economics correspondent Soumaya Keynes.
Soumaya’s question: “Are you among the group of technologists who favor a basic income?”
While acknowledging the that issue is complicated, Berners-Lee was clearly sympathetic to the idea — emphasizing the relative simplicity and efficiency of basic income (which he described as a “smooth system”), and expressing agreement that a basic income could help to reduce technologically-driven inequality.
Listen to the podcast here (discussion of basic income begins at around 10:30):
Tom Standage (interviewer). “The Economist asks: Can the open web survive?” The Economist. May 27, 2016.
Image Source: By John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, via Wikimedia Commons
by Kate McFarland | May 16, 2016 | News
Member of Parliament (MP) Yasmin Qureshi (Labour Party) is hosting a discussion of basic income in the British House of Commons on Monday, May 23rd.
Featured speakers include Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, and Barb Jacobson, coordinator of Basic Income UK and member of UBI Europe.
Last winter, Caroline introduced an Early Day Motion on basic income in the House of Commons, saying that the policy “has the potential to offer genuine social security to all while boosting entrepreneurialism.”
She adds, “Anyone who’s serious about building an economy which provides dignity for all – and frees up our time as well as our minds – should, at the very least, be backing serious research into the possibilities offered by a basic income.”
The meeting at the House of Commons is being held in collaboration with the New Europeans — a civil rights organization that champions freedom of movement, non-discrimination, and solidarity — as part of a series of events on basic income in Europe.
The event is open to the public, and more information can be found at the Facebook event page.
by Kate McFarland | May 12, 2016 | News
Tuesday, May 17, 2016, Professor Guy Standing will deliver the RSA Scotland’s prestigious Angus Millar Lecture.
In the lecture, “Professor Standing will explore the concept of Basic Income, particularly in relation to Scotland, which has gone from being a fringe political concept to one being discussed and piloted around the world.”
Guy Standing is a Professor of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and co-founder and honorary co-president of the Basic Income Earth Network.
The RSA, a British think tank, has been active in promoting the idea of a basic income, and developed a detailed model for a basic income last December.
See the event details here for more information, or to register for the free public event.
Too late to a book a trip to Scotland? Great news: Standing’s lecture will also be streamed live on YouTube!
Image Credit: Stan Jourdan, BIEN Congress 2012 (flickr)
Thanks to my supporters on Patreon. (Click the link to see how you too can support my work for Basic Income News.)
