09/02/10 February Competition: win a Free Nelson Mandela T-Shirt 08/02/10 New debate announced - Osbornomics: what will the Conservatives do to the economy? 08/02/10 New debate announced - Unequal Britain: time for a High Pay Commission? 05/02/10 130 MPs sign EDM 191 & call for High Pay Commission 03/02/10 Helena Kennedy: Let's replicate our success!

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High Pay Commission: for a just and sustainable economy
Monday, August 17, 2009

Politicians, academics, writers, journalists, economists, bloggers, campaigners and trade unionists have all offered their backing for a High Pay Commission to come up with sensible measures to tackle excessive pay and to reign in the so-called ‘masters of the universe', in order to deliver a fairer, stable and sustainable economy for the future.

YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON HIGH PAY NOW:

1) SEND AN EMAIL TO YOUR MP
2) SEND AN EMAIL TO THE CHANCELLOR
3) INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO TAKE ACTION

4)
ADD YOUR SIGNATURE AT THE BOTTOM

The campaign statement reads as follows:

"The crisis we find ourselves in is one significantly caused by greed. The salaries of those at the top raced away while the median wage stagnated. Inequality grew, and an economic crisis ensued. The unjust rewards of a few hundred 'masters of the universe' exacerbated the risks we were all exposed to many times over. Banking and executive remuneration packages have reached excessive levels. We believe now is the time for government to take decisive action.

The facts speak loud and clear: an employee working a 40 hour week earning the minimum wage would have to work for around 226 years to receive the same remuneration as a FTSE 100 CEO does in just one year.

Remuneration and performance pay cycles are too short; rewards for failure are too great, to the detriment of the long term future of these companies and the wider economy. The government must now take decisive action on excessive pay at the top when it has had such a damaging and corrosive effect on the real economy and wider society.

In 1997 a ‘Low Pay Commission' was set up to advise on the implementation of the Minimum Wage - a policy which has ensured greater fairness and economic stability. We need a 'High Pay Commission' to launch a wide-ranging review of pay at the top. It should consider proposals to restrict excessive remuneration such as maximum wage ratios and bonus taxation to provide the just society and sustainable economy we all want.

Furthermore, we also need the government to take the moral lead by setting reasonable pay structures within our public bodies, for public procurement contracts and last but not least - within our publicly owned banks.

We therefore urge the government to create a High Pay Commission to come up with concrete solutions and instigate the real change that will ensure a more sustainable, equal and secure economic future for all."

Signed by:
 

Brendan Barber, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress
Dr Jon Cruddas MP
Dr Vince Cable MP, Deputy Leader & Shadow Chancellor for the Liberal Democrats
Polly Toynbee, the Guardian
Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, Leader of the Green Party
Professor Ruth Lister CBE, FBA, Professor of Social Policy, Loughborough University
Duncan Green, Head of research, Oxfam
Frank Field, Labour MP
Neal Lawson, Chair, Compass
Billy Hayes, General Secretary, CWU


Adrian Sinfield - Professor Emeritus in Social Policy, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh
Alan Simpson, Labour MP
Alex Smith, Editor of Labourlist
Andrew Mackinlay, Labour MP
Andrew Simms, Policy Director, The New Economics Foundation
Andrew Stunell, Liberal Democrat MP
Ann Black
Anneliese Dodds, Labour PPC for Reading East
Bill Etherington, Labour MP
Chris Mclaughlin, Editor of Tribune
Chuka Umunna, Labour PPC for Streatham
Clifford Singer, The Other Taxpayer's Alliance
Clive Efford, Labour MP
Cllr Dr Neeraj Patil MBBS,FRCS, Labour PPC for Surrey Heath
Cllr Jenny Jones, London Assembly Member, Green Party
Colin Burgon, Labour MP
Dai Davies, Independent MP
Dave Anderson, Labour MP
Dave Prentis, General Secretary, Unison
David Byrne, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Durham
David Drew, Labour MP
David Heyes, Labour MP
David Taylor, Labour MP
Davina Cooper, Professor of Law & Political Theory, Kent Law School, University of Kent
Derek Wyatt, Labour MP
Doug Naysmith, Labour MP
Dr Brian Iddon, Labour MP
Dr David Alderson, Senior Lecturer, English and American Studies
Dr Eryl Price-Davies, Principal Lecturer, Thames Valley University
Dr Gideon Calder, University of Wales
Dr Ian Greer, Leeds University
Dr Jo Littler, Senior Lecturer, Media and Cultural Studies, School of Arts, Middlesex University
Dr S.D Lilley, University of Leicester
Duncan Weldon, Economist
Frank Cook, Labour MP
Gavin Hayes, General Secretary, Compass
George Irvin, University of London, SOAS
Gordon Prentice, Labour MP
Grahame Morris, Labour PPC for Easington
Guy Palmer, The Poverty website
Helena Kennedy QC, Member of the House of Lords
Hilary Wainwright, Editor of Red Pepper Magazine
Howard Reed, Director, Landman Economics
Ian Stewart, Labour MP
Jane Wills, Queen Mary, University of London
Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of NUJ
Jim Dobbin, Labour MP
Jim Sheridan, Labour MP
Joe Benton, Labour MP
Johann Hari, The Independent
John Austin, Labour MP
John Battle, Labour MP
John Cummings, Labour MP
John Harris, Guardian
John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP
Julian Petley, Professor of Screen Media and Journalism, Brunel University
Kate Green, Chair, Child Poverty Action Group
Kelvin Hopkins, Labour MP
Kevin Maguire, Associate Editor, Daily Mirror
Lilian Greenwood, Labour PPC for Nottingham South
Linda Riordan, Labour MP
Lindsay Mackie, Writer
Lord Trevor Smith of Clifton
Lynne Jones, Labour MP
Margaret Moran, Labour MP
Mark Donne, Director of the Fair Pay Network
Michael Meacher MP
Mick Hancock, Liberal Democrat MP
Neil Gerrard, Labour MP
Nicky Gavron, London Assembly Member, Labour Party
Noel Hatch, Chair, Compass Youth
Oona King, Campaigner
Paddy Tipping, Labour MP
Paul Blomfield, Labour PPC for Sheffield Central
Paul Flynn, Labour MP
Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP
Paul Smith, Labour PPC Bristol
Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner
Prem Sikka, Professor of Accounting, University of Essex
Priscilla Alderson, Professor of Childhood Studies, University of London
Professor Christine Cooper, University of Strathclyde
Professor Christine Cooper, University of Strathclyde
Professor Danny Dorling, University of Sheffield.
Professor Gregor Gall, Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Hertfordshire
Professor Martin Parker, University of Leicester School of Management
Professor Peter Case, Director, Bristol Business School
Professor Peter Fleming, QMUL
Professor Robert Hampson FEA, FRSA, Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Simon Lilley, University of Leicester School of Management
Professor Stefano Harney, School of Business and Management, QMUL
Richard Burden, Labour MP
Richard Murphy, Tax Research LLP
Richard Scorer, Labour PPC for Hazel Grove
Richard Wilkinson, Director of the Equality Trust
Roger Berry, Labour MP
Roger Levett
Ronnie Campbell, Labour MP
Sally Hunt, General Secretary of UCU
Sam Gurney, Labour PPC, Labour PPC for Kensington
Sam Tarry, Chair of Young Labour
Steve Davies, Senior Research Fellow, Cardiff University
Sunny Hundal, Editor of Liberal Conspiracy
Tom Copley, Chair, London Young Labour
Tom Flynn, Labour PPC for Southend West
Will Straw, Editor of Left Foot Forward

Please sign the statement and encourage your friends to do the same!

Comments

1 to 50 of 1075
Posted by Sane 
on 13 January 2010, 6:36:42 PM
Blue Labour still thinks it has friends to please in the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Taxpayers' Alliance, the City and rich and comfortably off middle class people.
Posted by Alex Wilks (Bristol)
on 13 January 2010, 2:23:36 PM
The differential between low, average and top pay is crazy and unjustified and will lead to increasing social tension.

Something must be done about it. Bring on this commission.
Posted by PETER SMITH (WALSALL)
on 07 January 2010, 6:24:49 PM
we must get some of the money off the rich so the poor have got some to spend
Posted by David Adshead (Leeds)
on 19 December 2009, 5:30:00 PM
This is a crucial step towards a steady-state economy. It is the 'growth eaconomy' philosophy which is leading to the gross and divisive disparity between the incomes of the very rich and the rest of the population.
Posted by John Dowd (Wigan)
on 17 December 2009, 3:39:40 PM
This is an essential policy move - all strength to it! Please do not let the people down.
Posted by David Drinkwater (Weston-super-Mare)
on 16 December 2009, 12:26:00 PM
We must encouarage a return to morality as opposed to greed. This would be a good start.
Posted by Caron Kendall (Toddington)
on 16 December 2009, 10:13:29 AM
It cannot be good for the economy - at one people with too much money to spend even a fraction of the value of their earnings and the other end with no money to spend - no wonder there is a recession!
Posted by Titus Alexnder (Kings Langley)
on 11 December 2009, 10:14:28 PM
This economic crisis was created by systemic failures in the banking system and the actions of the best paid people in society. Bankers’ unpatriotic protest at the suggestion that their bonuses should be taxed shows the City is completely out of touch with ordinary people. In 1981 Mrs Thatcher levied a windfall tax on high street banks because increased interest rates caused by the recession led to substantial unearned profits. Now that government the bail-out and reduction in competition has created unearned bonuses. Moreover, research in the Spirit Level, by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, shows conclusively that more equal societies do be, so for the sake of the nation we need a High Pay Commission to set a fair and reasonable ceiling to remuneration for the good of all.
Posted by Mark Millward (OXFORD)
on 11 December 2009, 8:57:02 AM
I fully support Compasss in pursuing a High Pay Commission with the Government. The disparity in pay between the highest paid and the low-pay majority in society is a social evil which risks destroying mutuality and common feeling so important to a well-ordered society.
Posted by Sane 
on 10 December 2009, 5:25:35 PM
Like it Colin. Anything else is immoral; poverty is only a balance for greed and ignorance.
Posted by Colin Webster (Edinburgh)
on 10 December 2009, 2:39:31 PM
I support the idea of a 5:1 ratio on pay, where the highest paid in the country receive 5 times more than the lowest.
Posted by Caron Kendall (Toddington)
on 29 November 2009, 8:35:36 PM
Lets stop subsidising the rich with taxpayers money.

Lets make the minimum wage a living wage so that this is paid to low paid workers - with all the economic benefits that that would bring rather then just adding to the excesses paid to top executives.

This way ordinary taxpayers would not be subsidising these excesses by having their tax paid out in benefits to those who are not paid a living wage by the companies who pay page the excess to their board instead.

Posted by Councillor Bill Randall (Brighton and Hove Green Party)
on 27 November 2009, 10:39:03 AM
I fully support the campaign. The gap in the private and public sector between high earners and those on low incomes is unfair , unsustainable and damaging to social cohesion. As in every other area, self-regulation does not work, and a High Pay Commission backed by higher tax rates for high earners would help redress the balance.
Brighton and Hove's 13-strong Green Group of councillors is putting a motion to
council next month asking the city city council to sign up to support the campaign.
Posted by Tony Harris 
on 26 November 2009, 11:48:33 PM
Mr West, I hear that the Greens are on the Lib-Dem-Tory ticket on Leeds City Council, is this true and what is the explanation for it if it is?
Posted by James Coleman (Huntingdon, Cambridge)
on 26 November 2009, 8:39:20 PM
Go to it. We need to curb the excesses of the City spivs.
Posted by John Harris (Lancing)
on 23 November 2009, 5:25:09 PM
A proposal of sanity and equality to counter the nauseating greed of a growing number in society.
Posted by Derek Marcus (Potters Bar)
on 23 November 2009, 5:13:44 PM
Why not a MAXIMUM wage as well as a minimum?

1 to 50 of 1075

 

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