News from Darren Johnson: Can the widening gap between London’s rich and poor be reversed?

Darren Johnson AM will host a debate at City Hall on 16 February to identify solutions that the Mayor of London could adopt to make London a more equal city.

The following speakers will help to stimulate debate and inform scrutiny work and policy making on the following themes:

• How big a problem is high pay and pay inequality, and how could we address this? Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level and professor of epidemiology at the University of York
• Is the real problem low pay, whether or not there is a wide gap? Kevin Curran, living wage campaign organiser for the Hotel Workers union
• Would pay inequality matter if we had affordable housing and excellent public services? Lynsey Hanley, journalist and author of ‘Estates, an intimate history’

Academics, activists, journalists and people delivering improvements for Londoners at a local level are being invited to take part in the debate.

Notes

The event follows a motion passed by the London Assembly in June 2010, which called on the Greater London Authority group to commit themselves to reducing the difference in pay between the lowest and highest paid staff to no more than 20 times, with a long-term goal of no more than 10 times.

Darren Johnson recently wrote on the subject of “fair pay ratios” and how they would affect the GLA group and the London boroughs.

To attend the event, contact Louise Jefferies:

• Email: louise.jefferies@london.gov.uk
• Telephone: 020 7983 4358