Labour’s 2019 Manifesto: My assessment on BBC Radio 5, 21 NOV 2019

As an economist, Labour’s 2019 Manifesto strikes me as a sensible, moderate and well-targeted program in view of Britain’s needs and capacities.

Independently of what one thinks of Corbyn and McDonnell (Nb. my friendship and comradeship with both is well known), most people agree that:

  • Exceptional investment in the green transition and technologies, possibly of a level not seen since the post-war reconstruction, is our generation’s duty to the next. A large carbon tax on those who profit from heating up the planet is both fair and logical.

  • Unbearable levels of inequality, and homelessness need to be reversed.

  • The botched privatisations of rail, water, mail and energy call for re-nationalisation.

Labour’s 2019 Manifesto addresses all of these tasks by making the top 5% of the population, who have increased their share of national wealth scandalously during the last decade of deep stagnation, pay a fair amount.

Labour’s 2019 Manifesto is, thus, the most responsible policy agenda that has been offered to voters in a long, long time. A breath of fresh air… as I said earlier today on BBC Radio 5