Professor Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur to the UN, today begins a two week fact finding mission of the U.K. to examine the government’s efforts to eradicate poverty.
To establish whether it is meeting its obligations under international human rights law.
To establish whether it is meeting its obligations under international human rights law.
A full itinerary of Professor Alston’s mission to visit government officials and campaigning groups has been made available to the general public.
ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pove…
ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pove…
The visit is intended to provide @Alston_UNSR with additional information on poverty & human rights in the UK.
Extensive input & research in advance of his visit has seen more than 300 submissions from people affected by poverty, civil groups, government officials and academics.
Extensive input & research in advance of his visit has seen more than 300 submissions from people affected by poverty, civil groups, government officials and academics.
“This is by far the most submissions that the Special Rapporteur has received before a country visit and those made public are available here”
Professor Alston reports on his preliminary findings on 16th November & reports in full in spring 2019.
ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pove…
Professor Alston reports on his preliminary findings on 16th November & reports in full in spring 2019.
ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pove…
Any investigation into poverty in the U.K. should be seen in the context of the intrinsic nature of our monetary system and government finances.
UK is a wealthy country, rich in natural resources and human capital.
HMGov creates its own currency by spending it into existence.
UK is a wealthy country, rich in natural resources and human capital.
HMGov creates its own currency by spending it into existence.
Sovereign currency nations operate under the principles of Modern Monetary Theory #MMT
This lens for viewing currency operations & government finances creates a macroeconomic policy framework that enables policy makers to balance our economy to meet the needs of all citizens.
This lens for viewing currency operations & government finances creates a macroeconomic policy framework that enables policy makers to balance our economy to meet the needs of all citizens.
#MMT reveals the British government can purchase anything that is for sale in its own currency, including all idle labour.
It’s capacity to provide for the wellbeing of all its citizens is unconstrained by its revenue from taxation, or by its spending in previous years.
It’s capacity to provide for the wellbeing of all its citizens is unconstrained by its revenue from taxation, or by its spending in previous years.
If the real resources & production capacity exist for sale in £s the government can always use its currency issuing & taxation powers to command these resources to ensure the needs of the people are met.
#MMT reveals poverty in the U.K. is a deliberate government policy choice.
#MMT reveals poverty in the U.K. is a deliberate government policy choice.
Should inflation become an issue, the British government has the legislative power to balance the economy to ensure its citizens do not suffer as a consequence of the ‘economy’.
We wish @Alston_UNSR well with his mission & look forward to reading his conclusions is due course.
We wish @Alston_UNSR well with his mission & look forward to reading his conclusions is due course.
Leading Modern Monetary Theory economist Professor Bill Michell, Director of The Centre of Full Employment and Equity (CofFEE) @billy_blog has decades of analysis of the U.K. economy & the social consequences of economic policy, essential background insights for @Alston_UNSR
