Universal Basic Income

In this episode we speak with Jamie Cooke, head of RSA Scotland, and Professor Mike Danson about Universal Basic Income.

Show Notes

Andy Burnham says Universal Basic Income (UBI) is an idea ‘whose time has come’ - and since the Mayor of Greater Manchester might yet be a future Labour leadership contender - that's significant.

Last week, he told pupils and parents at a Wigan school;

“A culture of zero hours, casual hours, people doing three jobs and then spending every hour worrying because they can’t pay their rent, means living on the edge and that damages people’s health. A universal basic income will put a solid foundation beneath everybody so that they can have a life with security and stop worrying about everything."

But in a devil tak the hindmost society like Britain, implementing UBI is easier said than done. Even in Scotland, pilot studies are running into bureaucratic obstacles. And there've been criticisms that UBI lets employers off the hook for low pay.

Last year we spoke with Jamie Cooke, head of RSA Scotland, and Professor Mike Danson about Universal Basic Income.
We tried to tease out exactly what UBI is and if it's possible to introduce it in Scotland without independence.
 https://www.thersa.org/reports/basic-income-scotland
 https://www.kela.fi/web/en/news-archive/-/asset_publisher/lN08GY2nIrZo/content/results-of-the-basic-income-experiment-small-employment-effects-better-perceived-economic-security-and-mental-wellbeing#:~:text=In%20the%20basic%20income%20experiment,were%20actively%20looking%20for%20work
 https://www.fininst.uk/events/get-your-free-digital-copy-of-our-comic-book-highlighting-social-innovations-from-finland-ireland-and-the-uk/
https://www.fininst.uk/events/anequalfuture/
https://nabig-conference-website.webflow.io/

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What is The Lesley Riddoch Podcast?

Scottish politics dissected from a left, pro-independence stance. Each week, award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Lesley Riddoch chews over the week’s news with co-host Fraser Thompson. If you like intelligent, quirky chat about Scottish society and culture, and Scottish, UK and international politics analysed from a Scottish perspective; this podcast is for you.