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Hi ,

2024 was an eventful year, and that wasn’t always a good thing. We know what we need to solve inequality in 2024 – community wealth-building, taxation of the super-rich, democratic ownership, action on the climate crisis, a fair political system, and tackling corporate profiteering – and the UK could do it now if our politicians had the courage.

However, 2024 was a year that the movement for equality pushed forward. The change in the UK’s government has opened new opportunities, while the international movement for justice has achieved historic wins like the move towards a global tax on the super rich at the G20. We’ve:

Organised on the ground to fight inequality across the UK, train new community reporters, and envision an equal society from the ground up.

Launched pioneering research into inequality and its impacts, from an updated Spirit Level to health inequalities, race, and the social contract.

Lobbied in the halls of power to win new allies, help decision-makers learn about the inequality crisis, and start wringing real change out of our system.

Our goal this year is to use that research, the work of the community reporters, and our growing movement to reimagine how our society and economy works, spread that vision to as many people as possible, and start changing our system to get there. And it's all possible thanks to your support!
 
READ OUR ROUNDUP OF 2024
Government AI strategy risks new PPE scandal
The Labour government's new AI strategy has been launched with a speech by Starmer, who pledges that Britain will be an AI "superpower." The plan is long but vague, with 50 different recommendations that range from suggesting publicly-owned data centres (good idea!) to giving up on copyright for AI firms and kneecapping regulators (hmm).
 
The overall message behind the speech and plan is that the government is suggesting that an AI-dominated future is inevitable, attempting to shape it with regulations is impossible, and we should go all-in on investment now to beat other countries.
 
This is a risky way to run a national economy. The gap between what ministers and policy-makers appear to believe about AI and what is actually true opens us up to effectively being scammed on a scale that could beat the PPE procurement scandals by deeply unethical private companies. On top of that, promising massive changes to public services through a technology that can't do that is exactly how you build frustration and disillusionment with politics.
 
Fundamentally, ministers don't appear to understand what they're signing us up to. Unless we share power more equally, this danger won't go away.
Weekly Poll: How optimistic do you feel after 2024?
 

Is 2025 going to be our year? What did you find most inspiring last year, and what should we focus on this year?

Thanks to everyone who votes! The results will be reported next week.

 
VOTE NOW

 Can very high pay exist in a more equal society? You said:

  • "I don't believe that very high pay can exist in more equal societies - it represents a contradiction in terms as well as being palpably unfair. How or where we draw the line in placing a cap or limit on CEOs rates of pay I don't know but I feel we need to be taking action on it as soon as possible."

  • "No, they say it will filter down to the lower paid, but this has never happened. No-one is worth the amount most CEOs are paid, and if they get sacked or discredited they seem to end up with a big pay-off and another job lined up."

  • "Of course not unless the tax system means that very high earners are taxed at a high rate which supports the lower paid in society."

  • "I think most people would accept that certain people in organisations deserve much higher pay because of their commitment/hours worked and/or responsibility and/or skillset/qualifications and/or because they took and hold the equity risk. The core problem in my opinion is when people don't feel they're getting a fair shake, that they don't have a stake in society. Those who have more need to be more willing to share in the interests of everyone, including themselves."

  • "No, it just fuels feelings of injustice and disconnection."
Inequality in Numbers

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In The News
We're recruiting community economists!

The way most people learn or hear about the economy is in ways that tell us that our broken system is inevitable. We need to change that – that's why we're launching a new programme to train community economists around the UK. Trainees will gather stories from their communities about their experiences of the economy, how it works, and how people believe it should work. Then, together, we'll use those stories to create new ways to teach and change understandings of economics among the public. Join us and apply!
Learn more and apply
Mick Lynch to retire as RMT leader

General Secretary of the RMT transport union Mick Lynch will step down in May. His impact, across only four years, has been immense. By simply and clearly talking about unions, strikes, and the issues we face, Lynch humiliated hostile pundits and led a surge in support for union action. Though sometimes controversial, when unions have struggled to adapt after being disempowered and depoliticised, the way Lynch openly fought for workers needs to be a model for us all.
Read more

The Equality Trust
Square Root Business Centre
Windmill Road
Croydon CR0 2XQ

+44 (0)20 3637 0324

info@equalitytrust.org.uk