Alan Milburn

Staffordshire University hold first Action on Poverty Conference

The Staffordshire University Action on Poverty and Hardship team, CHAD research centre and Connected Communities team are holding their first Action on Poverty Conference on Monday 20th June 2022 9am to 5pm.  This conference aims to... Read More

Sticking plaster or open-heart surgery? Time to create a good society

Friday 5 February saw the official launch of Poverty 2nd Ed by Ruth Lister (member of the House of Lords and vice-chair of Compass, which hosted the event; the first edition was published... Read More

A post-growth economy: thinking the unthinkable

Monday 11 May saw the launch of a new report from Positive Money called The Tragedy of Growth. That same day a webinar brought an audience of almost 900... Read More

From many Yeses to one big Yes: towards a global Green New Deal

‘Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That,... Read More

A minimum income guarantee – for now and forever

Last week, we covered New Economics Foundation’s (NEF’s) first weekly economics briefing which looked at how we can win the economic recovery after coronavirus. This week’s focused on ‘Fixing... Read More

Can we win the recovery?

New Economics Foundation (NEF) will be holding Weekly Economics Briefings to discuss challenges the coronavirus crisis poses to progressives — from analysing policy decisions to highlighting the organising being done in... Read More

The Green New Deal: can we afford NOT to pay for it?

On the 4 November, economist Ann Pettifor was speaking at the London School of Economics. ‘The Case for the Green New Deal’ was the title of her fascinating talk,... Read More

Reflections on the Community Wealth Building Summit

Last week CLES hosted the second annual Community Wealth Building Summit, the only event like it in the UK and the largest event in CLES’ history. The 200-strong delegate... Read More

Back to school: some personal reflections on Losing Control and CTRLshift

In this blog, Mark Wilkinson, Losing Control advisory council member, reflects on the Losing Control conference in February, CTRLshift: an emergency summit for change in May, and the way community groups in towns and... Read More

Alternative Editorial: CTRLshifts into next gear

CTRLshift is all about ‘shifting control’ from national-level political parties and corporations to the people and organisations collaborating in towns, cities and regions – very much the agenda of... Read More

Wellbeing: a guiding star for governments?

The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all three put wellbeing at the heart of their approach – codifying their values and goals within wellbeing frameworks... Read More

The importance of losing control if we are to #ShiftThePower

For two days in February we were welcomed to ‘Losing Control’, a gathering of like-minded folk seeking to connect, inspire, debate and conspire about how to lose control. As... Read More

Is protest the new form of politics? Tyne & Wear Citizens offer a different model

Barry Knight attends an assembly of Tyne & Wear Citizens to meet the candidates in the North of Tyne mayoral elections Something is stirring. A new populism is on... Read More

Out there is in here: the importance of systems change

Systems change is an area Rethinking Poverty intends to look at in a systematic way, examining some of the key concepts such as emergence and design, equifinality, etc. While... Read More

Eradicating poverty and tackling climate change are inextricably linked

I have been very aware for a while that Rethinking Poverty should be including climate change in its focus. But a gut feeling about the interconnectedness of everything isn’t... Read More

Community wealth building – what is it all about?

What is community wealth building? On the one hand, it seems like a new idea. The Labour Party established its Community wealth building Unit less than a year ago,... Read More

Tyne and Wear Citizens shows the way

In all my years of working with voluntary organisations and community groups, I have never been to an AGM like it. The room is packed, the energy high, the... Read More

How ‘good help’ can help to transform lives

What is ‘good help’? According to a new report published by OSCA and NESTA, Good and bad help: How purpose and confidence transform lives, ‘good help’ is help that... Read More

Are we dancing on the edge?

Beatrice Webb’s observation that poverty has little to do with individual sloth and everything to do with economic mismanagement and social structure led to systematic government action to regulate... Read More

How can we bring child poverty to an end? Caroline Hartnell attended the launch of CPAG’s new book

Why do we value children so little? This question was posed by Ingrid Wolfe, consultant in children’s public health medicine and director of the Evelina London Child Health Partnership,... Read More

Can Rachel Reeves’ ‘everyday economy’ replace the neoliberal consensus?

‘Since 1945 Britain has experienced two models of political economy,’ said Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, launching her new pamphlet, The Everyday Economy, at The Trampery in London... Read More

Talking about poverty – is being careful about language enough

‘The problem with the word poverty is that it embodies so many negatives,’ said journalist Stephen Armstrong, author of The New Poverty, speaking at Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s (JRF) ‘Talking... Read More

Event Report: Rethinking Poverty – Greater Manchester Can Lead the Way

Reflections from Tom Skinner, Director of Greater Manchester Poverty Action We had a fantastic time at our Rethinking Poverty event last week, and I want to thank everyone who... Read More

Poverty in the Netherlands – the challenges for philanthropists

On 20 September 2017 the Erasmus Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (ECSP) organised a learning event on poverty for philanthropists in the Netherlands with the aim of discussing the challenges... Read More

WATCH: Commentary on the launch of Rethinking Poverty

We invited some attendees at the launch of Rethinking Poverty to share their thoughts on the messages that feature in the book. Read more from the Rethinking Poverty discussion forum: Starting... Read More

Starting a conversation – the launch of Rethinking Poverty

The Webb Memorial Trust launched the book Rethinking Poverty: What makes a good society? in the Shaw Library at the London School of Economics (LSE) on 13 September 2017.... Read More

WATCH: John Akinde perform ‘The Youth Will Not Die’ at Rethinking Poverty launch

John Akinde performs ‘The Youth Will Not Die’ at the launch of Rethinking Poverty, a new book by Barry Knight, Director of the Webb Memorial Trust. Find out more... Read More

Event Report: What is the future of social housing?

Most commentators now agree that the shortage of housing in the UK is reaching crisis proportions, with rental costs rising sharply and those on low incomes particularly seriously affected.... Read More

What is the role of business in reducing poverty in the UK?

What is the role of business in reducing poverty? This was the question before a meeting hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty (APPG) and the Webb... Read More

Workshop Report: The Language of Poverty

The word ‘poverty’ features heavily in the lexicon of British politics. The Prime Minister has proposed an “all-out assault on poverty,” Labour MPs and peers recently campaigned hard to... Read More

Engaging with the public: What do the public think of us and how can we speak in ways that understand each other?

Deborah Mattinson, Britain Thinks – How to have an effective conversation with the public Deborah Mattinson, Founding Director of Britain Thinks, picked up the theme of public engagement. The... Read More

Kate Bell – Where next for anti-poverty campaigners?

Kate bell – Where next for anti-poverty campaigners?  Next up Kate Bell drew on her experience as a former policy advisor to the Labour Party and coordinator with CPAG... Read More

The drivers: What drives public attitude towards welfare?

Emily Fu, TNS BMRB – What drives public attitudes to welfare? Emily Fu, Associate Director at social research agency TNS BMRB, examined the emotional drivers of public attitudes towards... Read More

The debate: What are current sentiments towards poverty in the UK?

Drawing on research conducted by YouGov, Director of the Webb Memorial Trust, Barry Knight, reflected on current sentiments towards poverty in the UK. He defined this as an area... Read More

Conference Report: A Future Without Poverty

Detailed summary of 'A Future Without Poverty' cross-party conference organised by The Fabian Society and Bright Blue on 2nd March 2015 at the Hallam Conference Centre.

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A Future Without Poverty – Panel Discussion Summary

Panel Discussion: A future without poverty Chair: Oliver Wright, Whitehall correspondent, the Independent Charlie Elphicke MP, PPS to secretary of state for work and pensions Helen Goodman MP, shadow minister for... Read More

Event report: Young Voices

  An arresting start to the proceedings was provided by the Seasons Playhouse in Liverpool, ‘Young Voices’. Part of the Poverty Ends Now (PEN) initiative, the actors spoke brief... Read More

A Future Without Poverty – Question Time: Who has the best plan to tackle poverty?

Question Time: Who has the best plan to tackle poverty? Chair: Ian Birrell, contributing editor, Mail on Sunday Jeremy Browne MP, former Home Office minister Philip Collins, chief leader... Read More

A Future Without Poverty – The Future of Welfare Reform and Universal Credit

Sam Bowman, deputy director, Adam Smith Institute Alison Garnham, chief executive, Chid Poverty Action Group Andrew Harrop, general secretary, Fabian Society Chair: David Kirkby, researcher, Bright Blue   Alison... Read More

A Future Without Poverty – Breaking Barriers: How do we tackle social exclusion?

Seema Malhotra MP, shadow minister for preventing violence against women and girls Hannah Pearce, head of public affairs, Age UK Cllr Harry Phibbs, Hammersmith and Fulham council Chair: Daisy-Rose... Read More

A Future Without Poverty – Dragon’s Den: Innovating on the ground: local solutions to 21st century poverty

Dragons: Tessa Awe, chief executive, CVS Brent Chris Goulden, head of policy, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Cllr Gary Porter, leader, LGA Conservatives Innovators: Richard Jones, chief executive, Joshua Project Alex... Read More

A Future Without Poverty – closing remarks

A Future Without Poverty Conference – closing remarks Andrew Harrop, general secretary, Fabian Society Ryan Shorthouse, director, Bright Blue Andrew Harrop celebrated what he saw as the left and... Read More

Event report: Putting poverty at the heart of the 2015 General Election

Many thanks to the Fabian Society and Bright Blue for organising today’s event and to the Fabians for your important Inequality 2030 report.  Thanks are also due to the Webb Memorial... Read More

Event report: APPG on Poverty – Measuring Child Poverty

This submission from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty is based on a specially commissioned debate, held on 24 January 2013, between Professor Jonathan Bradshaw (York University), Christian Guy... Read More

The January Declaration – a better deal for the North East two years on

Peter Hetherington examines outcomes from a recent anti-poverty conference in Newcastle co-organised by the Webb Memorial Trust.

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