NHS waiting lists are growing and growing, while our schools literally fall apart. The cost of living crisis is throwing millions into poverty and turbocharging inequality; while climate breakdown becomes ever more obvious to all.
Where were the solutions, the vision for the future? I couldn’t see it.
To be fair, this lack of serious vision isn’t a failure only of the Conservatives. Labour’s leadership are also, putting it as politely as possible, tight-lipped on how they would solve the serious challenges facing the UK.
Fairer taxes can help build a brighter future
In this vacuum of political leadership, it’s never been more important for us to shout as loud as we can that there are solutions to these problems – that things can be done. That there is money to invest in our futures.
We know the government has options. The UK could raise up to £50 billion extra a year by closing tax loopholes used by the super rich – and by taxing wealth more.
Redirecting the massive private wealth of the super rich into our grassroots public services would reduce wealth inequality: taking from the rich and giving to ordinary workers.
Taxing the super rich could also reduce gender inequality. A fascinating new report by the Women’s Budget Group (WBG), which we fed into, shows how men have on average 35% more wealth than women – it argues that taxing wealth more could help redistribute this and level the gender playing field. You can read more about our work on tax and gender with the WBG here .
Politicians could also introduce new taxes on the biggest polluters – oil companies and polluting corporations – raising billions of pounds every year.
This money could help fund a fair green transition: new renewable projects and better public transport, creating high quality jobs in the process.
People want action now
These options – to raise more revenue from the super rich and the super polluting – are all open to the government, and the public support them.
A new report from our friends at the IPPR last week shows exactly this: people support higher taxes if that money is spent on public services .
Our executive director Robert was on Sky News last week arguing that the public do not want to see more austerity.