Green candidate Sian Berry calls for ‘universal basic income' in Camden
Highgate councillor warns that UK cannot 'sit back and watch inequality grow'
Thursday, 1st June 2017 — By Richard Osley
Sian Berry says people needed help due to the insecure housing market
THE Green candidate taking on Keir Starmer at next week’s general election says everybody in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency should be paid a “universal basic income” by the state.
Sian Berry, who is also a councillor in Highgate and a London Assembly member, said a pilot scheme should be introduced in Camden to show how the party’s manifesto pledge – the Green Guarantee – would work. It would provide everybody with money to pay for basic living costs, similar to schemes already run in Finland and Canada.
The Greens say it is important to introduce the measure due to the insecure job market and employment opportunities being lost because of new technology. Ms Berry said Camden would be a good pilot zone due to the number of people working on zero-hours contracts. They do not know how many hours they will work – and get paid for – from one week to another.
“In the last century we were promised shorter working hours and more security alongside technical advances but instead many people find they have a choice between insecure jobs or none at all,” she said. “This is especially the case in Camden, where the economy has changed remarkably in the past few decades, with some enjoying increased wealth but others suffering from deep insecurity.”
SEE ALSO HOLBORN AND ST PANCRAS FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES
Ms Berry is following in the footsteps of former party leader Natalie Bennett in trying to defeat Labour’s Keir Starmer, who defends a majority of more than 17,000. Her party was third here last time.
“Universal basic income is a big idea whose time has come – but the Green Party is the only party to include it in its manifesto for this general election,” she said. “The choice is between trying to build a future where everyone’s needs are met, or we can sit back and watch inequality grow.”
The Conservatives are fielding Tim Barnes against Mr Starmer, while Stephen Crosher is on the ballot paper for the Liberal Democrats. See panel left for a full list of Holborn and St Pancras candidates.
