We are all heartbroken by the news that our wonderful chair Lord Bob Kerslake has passed away after a short battle with cancer.

Bob was an incredible leader with a passionate commitment to our agenda and an unwavering determination to improve people’s lives. He saw clearly the need to combine environmental and social justice with a shift in power to communities – and always encouraged us to be brave and bold in pursuit of this aim. His willingness to support NEF right to the end – playing a pivotal role in helping us to recruit and appoint our new CEO Danny Sriskandarajah – was a mark of his deep commitment to our work. He was delighted that Danny had accepted the role and was looking forward to working with him.

The tributes to Bob over the last week are a testimony to the amazing person he was and the legacy he leaves behind. And we are thankful that we got to see his kindness, compassion, integrity and wisdom firsthand.

Bob had chaired NEF since 2019 and his absence will be deeply felt by all of us. But we will continue to build on the example he set and the legacy he has left. And in the months ahead, we will put in place a fitting tribute to say thank you for everything he has done for NEF and to mark the long-lasting impact he has had. But for now, our thoughts and condolences are with his family in this difficult time.

If you would like to show your support for Lord Kerslake’s family then please make a donation to St Mungos in his memory. This is Bob’s wish in lieu of flowers.

The staff and trustees of NEF

Migrant agricultural workers face absolute poverty while supermarkets profit
NEF analysis for the Landworkers’ Alliance revealed that migrant agricultural workers in the UK are experiencing absolute poverty. Christian Jaccarani shares the report’s finding in a new blog.

Christian was on Farming Today on BBC Radio 4 to talk about how the system disadvantages agricultural workers.

Power to prosper
This month we were delighted to announce we’re partnering with the Runneymede Trust on a three-year project to address the root causes of poverty, inequality and problem debt.

The UK’s housing crisis isn’t just about mortgages — private renters desperately need help too
Low-income private renters are suffering some of the worst effects of the housing crisis. Alex Diner wrote for the Guardian about what the government needs to do to support them.

It’s time we made childcare about children, not just about work
Reforms to the childcare support people on universal credit receive exposes the fundamental problems with our childcare system. Tom Pollard wrote for the Big Issue on why childcare must be about more than getting parents into work.

New Economics podcast

Why asset managers own the world
Asset management firms are not household names, but they’ve come to own our energy systems, hospitals, schools, and even the pipes that supply our drinking water. So who are these shadowy companies? And why are they buying up the things we need to keep our society going? Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined by Brett Christophers, author of Our Lives in their Portfolios.

Why antiracism means anticapitalism
Lots of institutions and businesses claim to value diversity and inclusion while continuing to uphold racism. But what does our 21st century economic system have to do with racism? For the final episode of this series, Ayeisha is joined by Arun Kundnani to discuss his new book, What Is Antiracism? And Why It Means Anticapitalism.

Michael Gove couldn’t spend £1.9bn to tackle the housing crisis. So here’s 10 things the money could be spent on instead
Alex Diner was quoted in the Big Issue on how the government should be tackling the housing crisis.

Gatwick submits plans for second runway to double passenger numbers
Alex Chapman responded to Gatwick’s plans for a second runway in the Guardian.

Austerity is about to return to Europe
NEF’s analysis of the cost of European austerity since 2009 was featured in the New Statesman.

The tower block where families are left gagging from smells of sewage and death
After NEF senior organiser Becki Winson took to Twitter to highlight the appalling conditions faced by people living in an estate in Druids Heath, the scandal was covered by Birmingham Live, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Mail.

Rishi Sunak warned of ‘serious shock’ for mortgage holders as Bank of England poised to raise interest rates
Lukasz Krebel was in the Independent responding to plans for further interest rate rises.

Labour is trying to have it both ways on the climate — will it work?
Chaitanya Kumar was quoted in the New Statesman on Labour’s green investment plans.

Work with us!
We’re recruiting for two amazing posts in our comms team:

Head of Communications — apply by Sunday 13 August.
Communications Officer — apply by midnight Friday 14 July … be quick!

New Economics Foundation

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