About this event

How should Labour achieve its economic objectives, for growth, prosperity and equality in Britain? This series is based on Labour’s economic policy and legislative plans. There will be a one hour lecture with Prof Ewan McGaughey, followed by seminar discussion, joined by expert discussants including from the Institute for Employment Rights: see the Eventbrite pages. Attendees will participate in formulating a policy note for each topic, and draft amendments to Bills to fulfil the goals in each policy field.

Sources include Keir Starmer’s pledges, the Labour Manifesto, official policies, and Bills. We compare these to human right treaties that bind the UK, including the Universal Declaration (ratified by the two International Covenants of 1966), the European Convention and Social Charter. We compare existing UK legal sources to these goals, to international models, and to empirical data. Full background for each topic is in Ewan McGaughey,Principles of Enterprise Law: the Economic Constitution and Human Rights (2022) chapters 3-5, 8-17 and 20 (McG), available on the Cambridge Uni Press website.

Download the full lecture programme handout here

Open lectures and discussion programme

1. Make Work Pay I: rights, equality, job security (6pm Thu, 10 October, Safra)

Discussants: Prof Gwenyth Pitt (Kingston), Lord John Hendy KC, Prof Lydia Hayes (Liverpool), Prof Simon Deakin (Cambridge)

(1) Worker status ~ (2) Minimum wage ~ (3) Zero hours ~ (4) Parental leave ~ (5) Day 1 rights (6) Fire and rehire

2. Make Work Pay II: collective bargaining, action and voice (6pm Thu, 17 October, Safra)

Discussants: Prof Keith Ewing (KCL), Janet Williamson (TUC), Prof Lydia Hayes (Liverpool)

(1) Sector-wide fair pay agreements ~ (2) Collective bargaining + action ~ (3) Worker representation on boards

3. Pensions, asset managers and net zero (6pm Thu, 24 October, Safra)

Discussants: Dr Benjamin Braun (LSE), Janice Turner (Chair of Association of Member Nominated Trustees)

(1) Firing up UK pension capital ~ (2) Pension member representation ~ (3) Asset managers + shareholder voting

4. Corporate governance, banks and net zero (6pm Thu, 31 October, Safra)

Discussants: : Dr Pedro Schilling (UCL)

(1) Director duties + FTSE 100 ~ (2) Monetary policy + Bank of England oversight ~ (3) Defining GDP + growth

5. Energy and transport (6pm Thu, 7 November, Safra)

Discussants: Mat Lawrence (Common Wealth)

(1) Oil, gas and coal in the FTSE 100 ~ (2) GB Energy + electricity generation ~ (3) Clean roads ~ (4) Electric rail

6. Housing (6pm Thu, 14 November, Safra)

Discussants: Dr Joanna Kusiak (Cambridge/DW Enteignen), Leo Pollak (Southwark Council, housing)

(1) Fair rent, security + decent homes ~ (2) Financing construction ~ (3) Expanding home ownership

7. Water and food (6pm Thu, 21 November, K -1.56)

Discussants: Joanne Robb (Henley Mermaids, and Oxford City Council)

(1) Ofwat duties + clean water, beaches, rivers ~ (2) Failing water companies ~ (3) Agricultural + pollution

8. National Health Service, prevention and care (6pm Thu, 28 November, K -1.56)

Discussants: Prof Beck Malby (York), Dr Johnbosco Nwogbo (We Own It)

(1) Public sector pay ~ (2) Waiting lists ~ (3) Democracy for staff, patients ~ (4) Social care and councils

9. Universities and education (6pm Thu, 5 December, Safra)

Discussants: TBC

(1) Tuition fees ~ (2) Insolvencies and bureaucracy ~ (3) Democracy for staff ~ (4) Universal free pre-school

10. Big tech media (6pm Thu, 12 December, Safra)

Discussants: Dr Bernard Keenan (UCL)

(1) Riots ~ (2) Online Safety Act + Ofcom ~ (3) Social media’s effect on democracy + health