Over 70 top economists, human rights experts, and other academics have written to the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urging him to make significant changes to his economic programme for government.

In an open letter coordinated by the think-tank Compassion in Politics, academics including Ha-Joon Chang and Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson - authors of the widely read The Spirit Level - warn Starmer that his current approach mimics the “economic orthodoxy that has made this country poorer, less cohesive and more unequal than fifteen years ago.” 

The signatories point to evidence that Labour’s pledge to maintain the two-child limit on child benefits could push more families into poverty and that their emphasis on maintaining or even extending cuts will make the entire nation poorer and weaker. 

The authors urge Starmer to back an increase in public spending - a policy that they say would not only protect the least well-off but also stimulate the overall economy. 

They also argue that, with a change of government likely, the Labour Party has a unique opportunity to transform the economy into one that “improves wellbeing, works in alignment with our environment, and achieves social justice.” 

They point to alternative economic models being trialed by governments outside Westminster - including ‘doughnut economics’ and ‘wellbeing economics’ - which focus on improving quality of life while reducing inequalities and the use of the planet’s finite resources.

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A coalition of politicians, academics, and campaigners have today written to the leaders of Labour, the Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats urging them to stop the use of “attack ads” which they say are “undermining the culture of our political system and the credibility of those elected to serve it.”

Figures including Zoom-legend Jackie Weaver, Labour’s Baroness Ruth Lister, and the directors of think-tanks Compass and Unlock Democracy have all signed the letter which has been coordinated by Compassion in Politics. 

In it they urge political leaders to stop using “attack ads” or other forms of “underhand” advertising. They point to recent examples of adverts which have levelled highly controversial accusations against individual politicians - including Labour’s recent ads targeting Rishi Sunak - and instances where parties have distributed leaflets using the branding of another party.

The signatories argue that this kind of advertising is undermining public confidence, contributing to a rising culture of hate, and destroying any hope of building consensus around key issues. 

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Commenting on the resignation of the Rt Hon Dominic Raab as Deputy Prime Minister, Jennifer Nadel, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics, said:

A new report into the 'state of Britain' has revealed significant levels of disapproval with the current and former governments and a desire to see major changes of policy.

The research by Compassion in Politics found that three in five (57%) think austerity and Brexit were failures. Three in four (72%) say the government’s management of the NHS has been a failure and 53% say the same for education reform. 

Just 16% think austerity was a success and only 1 in 4 (24%) give a positive review of Brexit. 

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Responding to the news that Gordon Brown has recommended the Labour Party make social rights a key plank of their next manifesto, Jennifer Nadel, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics, said:

“We back Gordon Brown’s recommendation and call on the Labour Party to make social rights a cornerstone of their manifesto. We cannot continue to have a situation in which companies make record profits while people struggle to pay their bills or feed their families. We cannot continue to live in the sixth largest economy in the world while more and more people rely on foodbanks. It’s time to change the economic rules so our nation’s vast wealth can be used to benefit everyone. That means establishing a basic right to food, housing and income - the foundations of a decent and healthy life.”

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Compassion in Politics polling with Opinium shows that the public overwhelmingly support the building of new windfarms to help tackle the climate crisis.

The polling comes as Conservative MPs seek to overturn their leadership's current ban on new onshore windfarms.

Asked which source of energy they would prefer to see boosted in the UK, three in four (74%) said they would support building more wind-farms. Close to one in two (45%) said they would also support investment in nuclear power.

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