Money for Nothing? Redistribution, Basic Income and its Alternatives

money for nothing event

In May 2021, following on from its webinar on Modern Monetary Theory, Radix published a paper called Money for Nothing. Written by Kevin Langford, the report examined the feasibility of setting up a job guarantee scheme or universal basic income for the UK, as well as looking at alternatives for redistribution in light of increasing political pressure to tackle the inequalities laid bare by covid.

The paper sets out a number of proposals to address Britain’s increasingly unequal society, including twice yearly helicopter money’ for all adults, carbon tax dividends for young people and a regular payment based on a share of a sustainable GDP’. 

It examines both universal basic income (UBI) and job guarantee schemes in detail but concludes that neither is financially nor politically viable.  Both, however, continue to attract interest across the political spectrum, with the Labour Party, Lib Dems and particularly the Greens considering such mechanisms to begin to address inequality.

Our webinar will include a presentation of Kevin’s findings and hear responses from some of those responsible for developing policy in this area.

Panelists
  • Kevin Langford

    Author of 'Money for Nothing' and former Chief Financial Officer turned policy analyst. His areas of interest include climate change, taxation policy and universal basic income.

  • Christine Jardine MP

    Lib Dem Treasury Spokesperson, a former university lecturer, broadcaster and Editor of the Press Association in Scotland

  • Prof Nick Pearce

    Director of The Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and Professor of Public Policy at Bath University, former Head of the Number Ten Policy Unit under Gordon Brown and co-author of 'Basic Income in the UK: Assessing Prospects for Reform in an Age of Austerity'

  • Catherine Rowett

    Green Party spokesperson on Work & Welfare, former MEP for the East of England and Prof of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia

  • Moderator

    Vicky Pryce

    Vicky Pryce Chief Economic Adviser for the UK Department for Trade and Industry and Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service. She was also Chairwoman of the GoodCorporation, an organisation promoting ethical business practices. She has been a visiting professor at the Cass Business School and Imperial College and a visiting fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford. She is a fellow at the RADIX Centre for Business, Politics & Society.

Where

Online Event

When

Monday 20th September 2021, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Additional Details

NOTE: THE TIME QUOTED IS UK TIME

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