NEF in the News, November 2020

Public sector pay freeze, Windrush scandal, Priti Patel, foreign aid cut, Covid restrictions and tax rises
Miatta Fahnbulleh responded to the latest news headlines on Iain Dale, Cross Question along with Harriet Baldwin MP, Pat McFadden MP and ex-SPAD Peter Cardwell.

What does the Spending Review mean for Britain’s poorest?
Miatta was quoted in a Big Issue article responding to the spending review.

We should be focussed on supporting the economy, not public debt
Alfie Stirling discussed what announcements came out of the chancellor’s spending review on LBC News.

Economists say Restart scheme fails to create enough jobs
Alfie was featured in a Financial Times article responding to the chancellor’s new Restart Scheme.

Chancellor announces Restart Scheme
Miatta reacted to the chancellor’s announcements on LBC News, arguing that while it’s important to retrain people, we also need to invest in jobs for those people to go to.

NEF’s response to the spending review
Miatta argued the chancellor needed to do more to protect jobs and incomes or stimulate the economy through job creation on BBC 5 Live.

Spending review policies for unemployment 
Alex Chapman’s Twitter thread in response to the spending review was included in the Guardian’s live coverage. 

Public sector pay freeze, UK deficit, England tier system, growth and the Home Office equality laws breach
Miatta appeared on Politics Live with Jo Coburn ahead of the chancellor’s spending review.

Spending Review: 5 things anti-poverty campaigners want to see
NEF’s Winter Plan for Jobs, Incomes and Communities was covered in the Big Issue. 

A winter plan for jobs, incomes and communities
Miatta set out how the government could support people through a difficult winter and set us up for recovery in the spring on Ian King, Sky News. 

The chancellor’s spending review
Miatta set out what NEF wanted to see the chancellor to announce in the spending review on LBC: job protection, income protection and job creation.

Unions call for public sector pay rise as Rishi Sunak prepares spending review
Analysis from the TUC and NEF making the moral and economic arguments for a public sector pay rise was covered in the Daily Mirror.

British companies risk billions in new costs if EU blocks data sharing deal
A new report from NEF and UCL European Institute revealing that British companies risk being hit with £1.6bn in new costs if Brexit negotiators fail to strike a deal over data standards was covered in the Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Daily Express.

What should we expect from the chancellor’s spending review?
Alfie responded to the announcement of a possible public sector pay freeze, discussed tax rises and explained what NEF would like to have see in the spending review on BBC Radio London.

Ban on new petrol and diesel cars in UK from 2030
Chaitanya Kumar responded to the ban on new petrol and diesel cars in UK from 2030 on talkRADIO.

Public sector pay freeze, settling public finances and an emergency economic plan
Miatta argued for more progressive ways of settling public debt and sets out what policies NEF wanted to see in the spending review on Times Radio.

A public sector pay freeze is morally wrong and bad economics
Alfie responded to the chancellor’s announcement of a public sector pay freeze on talkRADIO.

Bundesbank boss sets stage for ECB climate clash over bond-buying
A report by NEF and Greenpeace on decarbonising the ECB’s corporate QE was mentioned in the Financial Times.

The UK is being urged to adopt a 4 day week — but would it really boost the economy?
A letter signed by Aidan Harper arguing that reducing working hours would be highly beneficial for the economy was covered by the Scotsman. 

UK stimulus for green jobs should also curb inequality, analysts say
Miatta’s talk at London Climate Action Week online event was quoted in Thomson Reuters’ coverage. 

Leeds Bradford Airport expansion could COST region £3.1bn over 26 years, claims think tank
New analysis of the economic and environmental impacts of the Leeds Bradford Airport expansion plans was covered in the Yorkshire Post.

Bank of England needs more powers to decarbonise economy, say experts
A joint letter convened by NEF and Positive Money signed by 125 academics responding to the chancellor’s plans for greening finance was covered in the Guardian and the Financial Times. 

PM’s self-isolation, chaos in Number 10 and Covid track and trace
Miatta responded to updates on the prime minister’s self-isolation, the chaos in Downing Street and the latest Covid news on BBC News.

Environment Bill 2020
Chaitanya discussed the loopholes and weaknesses in the legislation around deforestation on Times Radio.

Financial support for self-isolating people
Miatta spoke to Shelagh Fogarty on LBC about the limits to government financial support provided for self-isolating people.

Covid vaccine, furlough extension, cancelling exams and tackling anti-vaccine conspiracies
Miatta appeared on BBC 2 Politics Live to respond to news of a coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer, the government announcement to extend furlough to March 2021, Wales cancelling next year’s GSCE and A‑level exams and the latest anti-vaccine conspiracies. 

Government u‑turn on free school meals
Alfie responds to the government u‑turn on free school meal vouchers and points to the inadequacy of Universal Credit to support families during this time on talkRADIO.

Rishi Sunak’s furlough U‑turn was right – but it was forced by his own grave errors
Miatta wrote for the Guardian about the harm caused to people’s lives and the economy by the government’s delays to lockdown and extend furlough. 

UK enters a second lockdown
Miatta argued for the need for a proper track and trace system to control the virus on talkRADIO.

Extension of furlough to March 2021
Miatta responded to the chancellor’s announcement to extend the furlough scheme until March 2021 on LBC.