How to build a public and political consensus for a fairer Britain
Fair Comment is a free weekly newsletter by Will Snell, Chief Executive of the Fairness Foundation. It is written for anyone who is interested in tackling inequalities in the UK, whether they are a politician, a researcher, a campaigner, a policymaker, a journalist, or in any other field. It’s designed to help them to make the moral, political and economic case for tackling inequality, with a particular focus on philosophy, public attitudes, and the evidence base on both the problems and the solutions. It is a mixture of comment articles and summaries of reports and events.
Finding a consensus on wealth inequality
Finding a consensus on wealth inequality
April 15, 2024
Ten years after the publication of Thomas Piketty's 'Capital in the Twenty-First Century', what is the status of the debate about wealth inequality in the UK?
Cap wealth, for society's health?
Cap wealth, for society's health?
April 8, 2024
A summary of the arguments from our webinar on 28 March featuring Ingrid Robeyns, author of 'Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth'
Is it fair to remove the two-child limit?
Is it fair to remove the two-child limit?
March 25, 2024
A philosopher weighs up the moral arguments for and against scrapping the benefit cap
A fair life’s work
A fair life’s work
March 18, 2024
Why the UK needs a new social contract... A guest post from Catherine Foot, Director of Phoenix Insights
A remedy for the poisoned chalice
A remedy for the poisoned chalice
March 11, 2024
Whichever party forms the next government is going to have its work cut out repairing our public services. A timely new book points to the crucial role of tax reform in making this possible.
A spotter’s guide to tax reforms in the 2024 spring budget
A spotter’s guide to tax reforms in the 2024 spring budget
March 4, 2024
Some are more likely to appear than others! With notes on revenue impacts, fairness, political status and public support.
Minority Sport
Minority Sport
February 26, 2024
How politicians and the media overestimate public support for tax cuts and tax reliefs
The politics of welfare in an election year
The politics of welfare in an election year
February 19, 2024
A guest post from Ben Baumberg Geiger, co-lead of the programme on work, welfare reform and mental health at the ESRC Centre for Society & Mental Health at King's College London
Deep Opportunity
Deep Opportunity
February 12, 2024
To give everyone in Britain a genuine opportunity to thrive, we need to remove structural barriers to opportunity (e.g. poverty) by tackling the root causes of those barriers (e.g. wealth inequality).
Unequal Kingdom
Unequal Kingdom
February 5, 2024
Our new polling on public attitudes to inequalities and their impacts shows that concern extends beyond regional inequalities but awareness of impacts is limited
Scarcely able to think straight
Scarcely able to think straight
January 29, 2024
Scarcity - poverty - is an assault on the brain. And almost three in ten children in Britain live in poverty. It's hard to think of a more flagrant example of unfairness.
Tax Britannica
Tax Britannica
January 22, 2024
The debate about cutting taxes misunderstands the public mood - people want investment in public services, not tax cuts
Can we mend our times before the End Times?
Can we mend our times before the End Times?
January 15, 2024
A summary of the arguments from our webinar last week featuring Peter Turchin, author of 'End Times: Elites, counter-elites and the path of political disintegration'
Updating the Fairness Index
Updating the Fairness Index
January 8, 2024
The latest version of our online tool incorporates new data and some new indicators on wellbeing from the Office for National Statistics
Reviewing 2023 and previewing 2024
Reviewing 2023 and previewing 2024
December 18, 2023
We look back on a year of investigating public attitudes to fairness, and forward to a year of making the political and economic case for a fairer society
Ticking the box is easier than opening it
Ticking the box is easier than opening it
December 11, 2023
Broadening access to elite opportunities to disadvantaged groups is great, but it lets us off the hook on tackling the underlying disadvantage
A spirited conversation about inequality
A spirited conversation about inequality
December 4, 2023
14 years after the publication of 'The Spirit Level', its authors took part in a thought-provoking discussion about the state of inequality in the UK, and the state of the evidence base
How opinion polling and framing research can work together
How opinion polling and framing research can work together
November 27, 2023
These two approaches can be used together to identify communications strategies to support social progress. A case study of research on health inequalities, written with Kate Stanley at FrameWorks UK.
Socially Determined: new data on attitudes to health inequalities
Socially Determined: new data on attitudes to health inequalities
November 20, 2023
Polling suggests that personal experience is increasing public awareness and understanding of the social determinants of health
Could What Works work for inequalities?
Could What Works work for inequalities?
November 13, 2023
Political leaders might be more willing to take action on inequalities if they better understood the consequences of inequalities and which interventions are most effective. What can be done?
Unequal wellbeing makes for a sick society
Unequal wellbeing makes for a sick society
November 6, 2023
A landmark report by Carnegie UK shows alarming gaps in wellbeing between different groups in society; the implications are stark
How to create a fair society
How to create a fair society
October 30, 2023
Can the left and the right find common ground? Reflections from our webinar last week with Daniel Chandler, author of 'Free and Equal'
Fairness in the House
Fairness in the House
October 23, 2023
What do politicians in the UK mean when they talk about fairness, and what can this tell us about the prospects for agreeing on what a fair society looks like?
Measuring merit and luck
Measuring merit and luck
October 16, 2023
The idea of meritocracy is so potent that many people believe in it despite the evidence that it doesn't exist. Should we pay more attention to the role of luck in life?
Who is entitled to fairness?
Who is entitled to fairness?
October 9, 2023
Politicians often suggest that some groups in society are nearer the front of the fairness queue than others. What are we to make of this?
In case you missed it: September 2023
In case you missed it: September 2023
October 2, 2023
A round-up of interesting reads from the last month and a look ahead to events this week
Embracing the nanny state
Embracing the nanny state
September 25, 2023
The latest British Social Attitudes survey shows increasing public support for intervention by government in society and the economy
Intergenerational inequality and solidarity
Intergenerational inequality and solidarity
September 18, 2023
Young people are likely to be worse off than their parents, says the Social Mobility Commission; meanwhile, family ties mean older people support policies that prioritise their younger relatives
Social contract killers
Social contract killers
September 11, 2023
Politicians from all parties admit that Britain's social contract is broken; we need to rebuild it if we want a stronger economy and a healthier society
Ask me anything with Baroness Ruth Lister
Ask me anything with Baroness Ruth Lister
September 4, 2023
The renowned social scientist and Labour Peer answers your questions about poverty and social security in the UK
Please send us your questions for Baroness Ruth Lister
Please send us your questions for Baroness Ruth Lister
July 31, 2023
The renowned social scientist and Labour Peer is ready to answer your questions about poverty and social security in the UK
Walking the tightrope isn't the same as treading water
Walking the tightrope isn't the same as treading water
July 24, 2023
On environmental issues, delivering fairness for different groups is a delicate balancing act that can only be achieved while making sustained and rapid progress
Can we build a fairer society without reforming our democracy?
Can we build a fairer society without reforming our democracy?
July 17, 2023
Our system allows those with the most socio-economic resources to exercise undue influence on politics. Do we need to sever this link before we can expect to make any progress on fairness?
Do people care more about inequality or unfairness?
Do people care more about inequality or unfairness?
July 10, 2023
Evidence suggests that the vast majority of Britons are worried about inequality, but often they are even more exercised about unfairness
Fairly United: What Britons think about fairness and equality
Fairly United: What Britons think about fairness and equality
July 3, 2023
Most Britons want equal opportunities but worry about inequality
Why doesn't the private sector talk more about socio-economic inequality?
Why doesn't the private sector talk more about socio-economic inequality?
June 26, 2023
Enlightened businesses recognise their opportunity to lobby governments to tackle inequalities, as well as behaving responsibly. But few seem willing to speak out about socio-economic inequalities...
Towards the manifestos
Towards the manifestos
June 19, 2023
What's the agenda for fixing poverty and tackling inequalities? You're invited to a conference at the House of Commons on 6 July
Three Tory Tribes?
Three Tory Tribes?
June 12, 2023
Our new report on the attitudes of 2019 Conservative voters to wealth finds that almost all are concerned about the reality or the impacts of wealth inequality
Child poverty is an affront to fairness
Child poverty is an affront to fairness
June 5, 2023
Shocking new statistics published today by the End Child Poverty Coalition put paid to the notion that Britain is a meritocracy
A house, a home
A house, a home
May 30, 2023
Professor Jo Richardson answers your questions about social housing, homelessness and the meaning of home
Espousing housing
Espousing housing
May 22, 2023
Professor Jo Richardson is ready to answer your questions about social housing, homelessness and the meaning of home. And a reminder of our webinar tomorrow on public attitudes to wealth.
National Wealth Surplus
National Wealth Surplus
May 18, 2023
The results of our wealth polling are in. 8 in 10 Brits are concerned that the wealthy don’t contribute their fair share of taxes. People are most positive about entrepreneurs, followed by landlords.
It's wealth inequality, stupid
It's wealth inequality, stupid
May 10, 2023
A fair society will never be within reach unless and until we take action to share wealth more equitably across society
Why aren't people more exercised about health inequalities?
Why aren't people more exercised about health inequalities?
May 2, 2023
'Social determinants' like housing and wealth have a huge impact on health outcomes, and poor health in turn leads to worse economic outcomes. Why is the British public not more concerned about this?
Ask me anything with Danny Dorling (the answers)
Ask me anything with Danny Dorling (the answers)
April 24, 2023
The well-known geographer and author answers your questions
Ask me anything with Danny Dorling
Ask me anything with Danny Dorling
April 17, 2023
The well-known geographer and author is ready to answer your questions about class and social justice in the UK (or anything else, within reason)
Rewriting the Rawls of the game
Rewriting the Rawls of the game
April 10, 2023
A new book, 'Free and Equal', reassesses how we can use the principles set out by the philosopher John Rawls to build a fairer society. It's a book whose time has come.
Britons want a bigger role for the state in delivering a social contract
Britons want a bigger role for the state in delivering a social contract
April 3, 2023
A large majority of voters think that the government should guarantee the provision of a range of services including social care, early years education and care, public transport and housing
Britain's fraying social fabric exposed
Britain's fraying social fabric exposed
March 27, 2023
A system that fails to tax wealth fairly, or to tackle increasing poverty or economic and social inequality, isn't working. And technological progress might make things worse rather than better.
Thoughts on childcare reform and societal collapse
Thoughts on childcare reform and societal collapse
March 20, 2023
Last week's widening of early years provision was welcome, but is the wider system too stretched to accommodate it? And what might the implications be of a broader unravelling of our social fabric?
Eight in 10 Britons think early years workers’ pay is too low
Eight in 10 Britons think early years workers’ pay is too low
March 13, 2023
Our new polling shows that people believe that paying early years workers more fairly would benefit everyone, but also underestimate how expensive UK childcare is compared to other OECD countries
Guaranteeing the fair essentials
Guaranteeing the fair essentials
March 6, 2023
A new campaign is calling on the government to peg benefits to a minimum acceptable standard of living. The fairness arguments for this are hard to disagree with.
Are Brits more progressive than we think?
Are Brits more progressive than we think?
February 27, 2023
A recent survey has shown that Britons have some of the most positive attitudes to immigration in the world. Do we underestimate the progressiveness of the public?
Inherited inequality clogs up society's arteries
Inherited inequality clogs up society's arteries
February 20, 2023
Unearned wealth is becoming more important relative to earned income in determining life chances and outcomes. We need to level the playing field before we find ourselves back in the Edwardian era.
Building a fairness argument is child's play
Building a fairness argument is child's play
February 13, 2023
Revisiting the Fairness Index to look at a live issue shows that it remains a useful tool to explore and explain the nature, causes and consequences of key inequalities
Fragmentation nation
Fragmentation nation
February 6, 2023
Inequality and meritocratic myths feed off each other, undermining concern about inequality and support for action to tackle it
Our new polling on attitudes to fairness and the strikes
Our new polling on attitudes to fairness and the strikes
February 1, 2023
Two in three people in Britain agree with the key fairness arguments in favour of the strikes
The tipping points for a fair society
The tipping points for a fair society
January 23, 2023
Inequalities feed off each other, creating vicious cycles. But the opposite is also true. Progress is nonlinear. Can we set up a virtuous cycle of fairness tipping points?
A forum for civilised irrelevance
A forum for civilised irrelevance
January 16, 2023
This week's annual Davos jamboree feels ever more disconnected from the real world. It's a shame, because corporate types are often more alive to the dangers of inequality than many political leaders.
How can we design AI to reduce inequality?
How can we design AI to reduce inequality?
December 12, 2022
The four inequality horsemen of the apocalypse
The four inequality horsemen of the apocalypse
November 14, 2022
Fairness is a prerequisite for economic growth
Fairness is a prerequisite for economic growth
October 10, 2022
Cutting taxes would erode the foundations of fairness
Cutting taxes would erode the foundations of fairness
June 13, 2022
A windfall tax would be both effective and fair
A windfall tax would be both effective and fair
May 9, 2022
Care costs, parole reform and the social contract
Care costs, parole reform and the social contract
April 4, 2022
Fairness is key to achieving climate security
Fairness is key to achieving climate security
March 14, 2022
The cost of living crisis is a crisis of fairness
The cost of living crisis is a crisis of fairness
February 14, 2022
