Library

The UK Race Class Narrative Report

Raquel Jesse

Policy paper, 17 May 2022

Building solidarity across race and class to win progressive change and inoculate against the powerful few that seek to divide us.

The Insecure Economy: Measuring and Understanding the Contemporary Labour Market

Paddy Bettington, Dalia Gebrial

Policy paper, 23 March 2022

Unlucky Dip: The Damaging Impacts of Online Gambling

Pete McArdle

Policy paper, 11 February 2022

Pushed to the Margins: A Quantitative Analysis of Gentrification in London in the 2010s

Policy paper, 28 May 2021

A new report from CLASS and the Runnymede Trust interrogates the dynamics of race and class in London through the lens of gentrification.

Work in 2021: A Tale of Two Economies

Paddy Bettington

Policy paper, 3 May 2021

This annual report considers who has been impacted most by the economic fallout of COVID-19, and looks at the wave of organising activity that has come in its wake. Containing original analysis of ONS data, interviews with trade union representatives, and results from a survey of over 2000 workers, commissioned...

What will it really take to level-up?

Rehana Azam, Neil McInroy, Tom Lloyd Goodwin, Steve Turner, Howard Reed, Sian Jones, Maurice Mcleod, Dr Kailash Chand, Professor Diane Reay, Professor Prem Sikka, Olivier Sykes

Think piece, 23 November 2020

Briefing: Chancellor’s Summer Statement

Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 10 July 2020

This Briefing assesses the main announcements in the Chancellor's Summer Statement and recommends alternative measures.

Coronavirus and the Workers Emergency: Labour Market Realities 2020

Raquel Jesse

Policy paper, 17 May 2020

Workers and Covid-19

Raquel Jesse

Policy paper, 20 March 2020

This report assessing the risk to workers from the Covid-19 pandemic

The Facts & the Fixes: Immigration

CLASS Staff

Factsheet, 3 December 2019

The Facts & the Fixes: Inequality

Factsheet, 2 December 2019

Guide to the Labour Manifesto 2019

CLASS Staff, Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 29 November 2019

Labour vs Conservative Manifestos

CLASS Staff, Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 28 November 2019

The Facts & the Fixes: Housing

Factsheet, 21 November 2019

The Facts & the Fixes: Austerity

Factsheet, 18 November 2019

Progressive Toolkit

Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 15 November 2019

The Facts & the Fixes: Class

CLASS Staff

Factsheet, 4 November 2019

Tips for Communicating

CLASS Staff, Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 1 November 2019

Queen’s Speech Briefing 2019

Lester Holloway, Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 14 October 2019

Everyday Guide to Challenge ‘Divide and Rule’ Narratives

Briefing, 4 October 2019

Race And Class Messaging Toolkit

Briefing, 4 October 2019

The Progressive Toolkit: A Guide to Talking About the Issues We Care About

Raquel Jesse

Briefing, 20 September 2019

This toolkit offers practical advice on messaging to help equip the Left with clear, compelling arguments that tell a story and provide a progressive vision on the economy. It is our attempt to bring together what we have learned from conversations around the country.

Spending Review Briefing

Raquel Jesse (not this one)

Briefing, 6 September 2019

The Cost of Doing Nothing: The Case for Long Term Investment to Tackle Automation

Policy paper, 3 September 2019

This report calculates the social and economic costs of failing to invest in preparing Britain for the challenges of automation.

‘We Are Ghosts’ - Race, Class and Institutional Prejudice

Dhelia Snoussi

Think piece, 9 July 2019

This joint report by CLASS and the Runnymede Trust follows a year-long study assessing how people across 14 London boroughs identified in terms of class and race.

A New Vision for Further and Higher Education

Sol Gamsu, Richard Hall, David Ridley, Jana Bacevic, Josie McLellan, Richard Pettigrew, Tom Sperlinger, Vicky Duckworth, Rob Smith, Tiffany Page, Jayne Bullough, Anna Bull, Thomas Calvard, Jason Arday, Jen Remnant, James Richards, Kate Bell

Think piece, 22 May 2019

Beyond Mobility: From Individual Success to Community Uplift

Think piece, 29 April 2019

Labour Market Realities: Insecurity, Stress and Brexit

Policy paper, 25 February 2019

This is the second annual CLASS report on the state of the UK labour market. It includes a major worker survey which finds the cost of living gap is leading to longer working hours, stress and debt.

The Fat Cat Diet: A progressive plan for wage fairness

Richard Murphy, Sarah Anderson, Luke Hildyard

Briefing, 3 January 2019

This report calls for curbs on excess and unrestrained pay by removing executive pay and argues that attempts to cut corporate excess to-date have largely failed.

The Great British Regression: Brexit and Inequality

Howard Reed, Andreas Schulze-Bäing, Professor Özlem Onaran, Olivier Sykes, Sara Reis

Briefing, 8 December 2018

This report looks at the consequences on wages, investment and equality if the Government get a Brexit that takes Britain out of the customs union and single market.

Increasing the Supply of Social Housing: What are the current options?

Ines Newman, Marjorie Mayo

Policy paper, 26 November 2018

This paper by Professor Marjorie Mayo and Ines Newman explores how local authorities, housing associations and other social housing providers can supply more much needed homes.

Tackling Inequality: The Role of Trade Unions

Policy paper, 11 September 2018

This paper explores how trade unions can tackle inequality in society, and how deunionisation harms the economy.

Fudging the funding on pay

Briefing, 6 March 2018

An analysis of departmental spending plans in the UK budget in relation to pay

Labour Market Realities: Workers On The Brink

Policy paper, 21 February 2018

This is the first annual CLASS report on the state of the UK labour market. It aims to move beyond the soundbites of mainstream debates to provide an analysis of the economy rooted in the lived experience of it.

Back to Basics: Progressive Trade Deals

Mark Dearn, Nick Dearden, Jean Blaylock, Sophie Hardefelt, Dr James Harrison

Briefing, 9 February 2018

This expert guide goes back to basics on trade, explaining the dangers of modern trade deals and what we should be looking for in a progressive trade agenda.

Autumn Budget Briefing 2017

Briefing, 21 November 2017

This briefing takes a detailed look at the Autumn Budget 2017.

Fiscal Austerity to Economic Renewal

Prof Malcolm Sawyer

Policy paper, 19 November 2017

Professor Malcolm Sawyer explains why the time has come to move away from austerity to public investment. The responsibility of government is not to balance the budget but to balance the economy by moving it to full employment. This duty should be the guiding principle for macroeconomic policy, but has...

Renewing Public Ownership: Constructing a Democratic Economy in the Twenty-First Century

Professor Andrew Cumbers

Policy paper, 10 October 2017

In this updated report, Professor Andrew Cumbers argues the UK needs to rethink its approach to ownership and control of the economy, developing more democratic institutions and structures that re-distribute economic decision-making power beyond its capture by financial, corporate and foreign interests.

Empty Chair - It’s Time for Workers on Boards

Briefing, 2 October 2017

Using interviews with workers on boards and research that demonstrates best practice, this paper makes the case for the idea of workers on boards to be taken far more seriously at a time when workers voices are in danger of disappearing altogether.

Queen’s Speech 2017 Briefing

Briefing, 21 June 2017

A detailed summary of the most important bills outlined in the Queen's Speech 2017.

The Facts & the Fixes: Housing

Factsheet, 1 June 2017

Access to affordable and good quality housing should be a right, not a luxury. But right now, the UK housing market is failing young people, low and medium earners, and the vulnerable.

The Facts & the Fixes: Immigration

Factsheet, 1 June 2017

The way we talk about immigration has become poisonous. Immigration targets have been set and missed, while many politicians fail to recognise how essential migrants are for our economy and the effect of anti-immigration narratives on our communities.

The Facts & the Fixes: Jobs

Factsheet, 30 May 2017

Having a good quality job is important for wellbeing. But with a squeeze in real earnings and the expansion of low quality work, employment is no longer a guaranteed route out of poverty.

The Facts & the Fixes: Public Services

Factsheet, 30 May 2017

We rely on public services throughout our lives to educate our children, to get us to work and to care for our loved ones. In recent years public spending cuts and privatisation have led to falling standards and restricted access to vital services.

Election 2017:  A Comparison of Labour and Conservative Manifestos

Dan Durcan

Briefing, 19 May 2017

A comparison of Labour and Conservative proposals across key policies areas for the 2017 General Election.

The Facts & the Fixes: Youth Prospects

Factsheet, 2 May 2017

Young people face an increasingly hostile world. Here are the facts about young people in the UK, along with the policy fixes we need to improve youth prospects.

Minority Report: Race and Class in post-Brexit Britain

Omar Khan

Think piece, 21 March 2017

This new report by the Runnymede and CLASS think tank explores the intersection of race and class in post-Brexit Britain.

Spring Budget 2017 Briefing

Dan Durcan

Briefing, 9 March 2017

Our Policy Officer and Senior Research Officer break down the Spring Budget 2017.

Briefing: Autumn Statement 2016

Briefing, 1 December 2016

Following the 2016 Autumn Statement, CLASS have put together a detailed summary of the most important announcements from new Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Fact Sheet: How unequal is the UK

Factsheet, 11 October 2016

Inequality has become a hot topic in the UK, and there is a huge amount of evidence that inequality is extreme and increasing. This 2 page fact sheet offers quick statistics that highlight the extent of this inequality.

Changing The Debate on Migration: Brexit Update

Briefing, 11 October 2016

This updated pamphlet provides facts to inform the debate on refugees, asylum seekers and migration since Brexit and is an important tool for challenging the current narrative.

Does the EU work for working class people?

Policy paper, 31 May 2016

As the EU referendum approaches, this essay series examines whether the EU has been good for working people. The series features six key progressive experts, and covers wages, legislation, the macroeconomy, regeneration, and community cohesion.

Budget Briefing 2016

An in-depth briefing following the 2016 Budget

Factsheet, 18 March 2016

This briefing focuses upon the announcements in the 2016 Budget, including the news that the Chancellor has failed to meet his debt and welfare targets and will also struggle to meet his ‘surplus’ rule.

Briefing: Spending Review 2015

Factsheet, 27 November 2015

This briefing on the Spending Review outlines the main announcements and their likely impacts.

Changing the debate on migration

Briefing, 11 September 2015

This updated pamphlet provides facts to inform the debate on refugees, asylum seekers and migration and is an important tool for challenging the current narrative.

What is aspiration?

How progressives should respond

Owen Jones, Kevin Courtney, Bruce Bennett, Imogen Tyler

Think piece, 25 August 2015

This essay series will explore the issue of aspiration from a progressive standpoint and asks whether aspiration can be a left wing value.

The mythology of business

Prof David Whyte

Briefing, 24 August 2015

This new publication has been released by the Institute of Employment Rights to dispels some of the myths surrounding business and its supposed benefits and seeks to shed some light on the lies that are used to deny workers their rights and diminish collective bargaining power.

Briefing: the Government’s proposed new Trade Unions Bill

Factsheet, 13 July 2015

This joint briefing from Class and the Institute of Employment Rights (IER) outlines further details on the various parts of the new Bill and provides analysis of the likely impact of the proposed legislation ahead of its publication.

The ‘budget surplus’ rule scam

Prof Malcolm Sawyer

Think piece, 7 July 2015

In June George Osborne outlined his plans for a new 'budget surplus’ law. This paper argues that this is ill-defined and essentially unenforceable. The proposal appeared without any economic rationale as to why a budget surplus would be either desirable or indeed achievable in a sustainable manner. Instead, this paper...

Briefing: The Queen’s Speech 2015

Factsheet, 28 May 2015

This factsheet focuses upon the announcements in the 2015 Queen’s Speech, including the plans for an EU referendum, an extension of Right to Buy and attacks on the rights of workers, and what this means for ordinary people, trade unionists and the labour movement.

Briefing: The Tax Lock

Factsheet, 1 May 2015

The Conservatives have pledged to introduce a “tax lock,” an unusual move which would legally prohibit them from increasing income tax, National Insurance, or VAT for five years. The party retains its earlier promises to take everyone on the minimum wage out of income tax, by raising the personal allowance...

The First 100 Days

What should a progressive government implement?

Think piece, 29 April 2015

In May 2015 a new progressive government could take office. Following one of the most unpredictable elections in decades, it will be a huge task to set down clear priorities that can begin to restore fairness and challenge inequalities in wealth and power. The first 100 days of the next...

Briefing: Rent control - what is Labour offering?

Factsheet, 28 April 2015

On Monday Ed Miliband outlined how Labour plans to address the crisis in private renting, with further details on the party’s 2014 policy to regulate private rents. But do Labour’s plans go far enough, and would they deliver the sort of rent controls the public now overwhelmingly support?

Where do the parties stand on the NHS?

Factsheet, 24 April 2015

This week saw the parties further outline their plans for the NHS with announcements coming from Labour as part of their ‘NHS week’. This briefing will set out the plans of the two main parties and those of the Lib Dems, Greens and UKIP.

Briefing: Manifesto summary - the smaller parties

Factsheet, 17 April 2015

Briefing: Manifesto summary - The two main parties

Factsheet, 15 April 2015

Monday saw the launch of Labour’s 2015 manifesto which formalised the series of pledges made in recent weeks and emphasised their economic credibility to voters. The Conservatives followed with the release of their manifesto on Tuesday which sought to outline their offer to voters and articulate their pitch to ‘working...

Briefing: Extending the right to buy

Factsheet, 14 April 2015

A key pledge in the Conservatives 2015 General Election manifesto is to extend the Right-to-Buy policy to housing associations. This comes after a period of massive budget cuts to investment in building new homes and the emergence of a crisis in housing where rents and house prices have outstripped wages.

Briefing: Publicly-owned railways

Factsheet, 10 April 2015

Today the Conservatives announced a pledge to enact a real-term freeze affecting about half of all rail fares if they win the election. Prime Minister David Cameron said the move - extending a freeze currently in place - would save an average rail commuter £400 between now and 2020. Labour's...

Briefing: Productivity

Factsheet, 2 April 2015

There has been increasing media coverage about the UK’s growing ‘productivity gap’ in the last few weeks, but why is it important? This briefing sets out what productivity is, why everyone is talking about it and what actions are needed from the next government.

Election 2015: What’s at stake for fairer tax?

Briefing, 16 March 2015

This guide outlines how the tax system is regressive, benefitting the rich and penalising the poor. Proportionally, tax from working people is not matched by the contributions of the rich. Widespread tax avoidance allows companies and wealthy individuals to shirk their responsibilities to public services. This guide sets out how...

Election 2015: What’s at stake for social security?

Briefing, 9 March 2015

This guide outlines the pressures facing the social security system caused by Coalition reforms, rising poverty and deep cuts to spending. Drawing attention to benefit cuts, the effects of the sanction regime, the stigmatisation faced by benefit claimants and the growth of food banks, this guide will expose the failings...

Election 2015: What’s at stake for the NHS?

Briefing, 3 March 2015

This guide covers the current challenges facing the NHS: increased pressure, plunging staff morale and impending funding crises, and how privatisation and marketisation has fundamentally damaged standards in healthcare. This pamphlet outlines how pressures could be lessened by eliminating costly competition processes. By repealing the Health and Social Care Act,...

Election 2015: What’s at stake for the economy?

Briefing, 24 February 2015

This guide outlines the state of the economy in 2015 and the impact Coalition policies have had on economic growth. The pamphlet highlights how austerity exacerbates a highly unequal system and further damages prospects of growth. As the Coalition continue to champion misleading figures on the debt and deficit, this...

Election 2015: What’s at stake for housing?

Briefing, 17 February 2015

This guide outlines the state of the housing crisis, with rents rocketing in the private sector, social housing waiting lists rapidly rising, the impact of Coalition welfare reforms and a failure to build enough affordable homes. The publication will show that by building the homes we need and protecting tenants'...

Election 2015: What’s at stake for work, pay and unions?

Briefing, 10 February 2015

This guide outlines the scale of the fall in living standards since 2008, the explosion of low-wage, insecure work and how working people and their unions have seen their rights attacked. By explaining the link between strong trade unions, widespread collective bargaining and lower inequality the pamphlet suggests short and...

The check-off system for union fees

Factsheet, 3 February 2015

Trade unions and economic inequality

Dr Lydia Hayes, Prof Tonia Novitz

Briefing, 18 November 2014

This accessible pamphlet by leading academics Lydia Hayes and Tonia Novitz looks in depth at the role of trade unions in the economy and the link between strong trade unionism and more equal societies.

Raising our quality of life

The importance of investment in arts and culture

Dr Abigail Gilmore

Policy paper, 12 November 2014

There has been much focus on growing inequalities in living standards, but the majority of discussion has focused on economic measures, failing to recognise the importance of ‘quality of life’. This paper considers the contribution of arts and culture to improving our quality of life. By looking at a range...

Tackling the housing crisis

Alternatives to declining standards, displacement and dispossession

Professor Marjorie Mayo, Ines Newman

Policy paper, 7 October 2014

The paper draws upon existing research, together with original research, to examine the underlying causes of the housing crisis. This paper recognises that housing problems will not be solved without rebalancing the economy, reducing the demand pressure on London and the South East, and redirecting public funds to other regions...

The role of local government in a modern state

James Murray

Policy paper, 18 September 2014

This paper outlines the unique role that local authorities can play and sets out a vision of how local government can be enabled to make a difference for the better. It argues for a fairer distribution of funding, for councils to borrow to build more homes, and for funding and...

Securing a decent deal for workers

Employee representatives on boards

Jim Sheridan MP

Think piece, 11 September 2014

This think piece argues for employee representatives on company boards. It is based upon interviews conducted in Sweden where successful legislation regarding employee representatives is already in place. In Sweden, companies with 25 or more employees have two representatives on the company board; companies with 1000 employees or more have...

State intervention for wage-led development

Professor Özlem Onaran

Policy paper, 1 September 2014

This paper demonstrates that over last 3 decades, real wages have grown slower than productivity, which has led to an accumulation of profits at the top as opposed to increases in wages for ordinary workers. Between 1976 – 2007, the income of the top 1% increased by 3.7% in real...

In the public interest

The role of the modern state

Yvonne Roberts

Think piece, 9 August 2014

This Think Piece examines the overarching themes that run through our series, 'In the public interest: the role of the modern state.' It critically examines the evolving functions of the state in the UK, EU and USA. The piece emphasises that it is urgent that the prevailing neoliberal mould is...

Public services

The good, the bad, and the future

Professor Roger Seifert

Policy paper, 16 July 2014

All countries have a state sector whatever the political nature of their governments and their economic and social systems. Enduring questions remain as to the limit of the state, and for what purposes it should be used. Answers have varied across times and regions with fierce debates over policy programmes...

Renewing Public Ownership

Constructing a Democratic Economy in the Twenty-First Century

Professor Andrew Cumbers

Policy paper, 9 July 2014

This paper examines the effects of three decades of privatisation on public services. It argues that the privatisation and marketization policies of successive governments have delivered the economy into the hands of a narrow set of vested corporate and financial interests. The consequences are that decision-making is geared towards short-term...

The importance of the labour movement in tackling inequality

Professor Richard Wilkinson, Professor Kate Pickett

Think piece, 1 July 2014

Drawing on a range of evidence, this short Think Piece looks at the role of the labour movement in achieving a more equal society. The weakening of the labour movement during the last quarter of the 20th Century has had a significant impact on the ability of working people to...

State and finance in financialised capitalism

Professor Costas Lapavitsas

Think piece, 12 June 2014

This paper from renowned economist Prof Costas Lapavitsas explains that the structural problems within the UK and other mature economies that were brought to the surface during the crisis of 2007-9, are inherent to contemporary mature capitalism. He argues that the problems have to do, primarily, with financialisation - a...

How can the European left deal with the threat posed by xenophobia?

Glyn Ford

Think piece, 28 April 2014

This essay charts the rise of xenophobia as a Europe-wide phenomenon, which has become more of an urgent threat following the increase in popularity of far-right parties such as UKIP. The essay calls upon European progressives to take on far-right parties across the continent.

The politics of curriculum in schools

Terry Wrigley

Policy paper, 16 April 2014

This paper, impressive in its breadth and scope, examines 150 years of the British education system and demonstrates how an historic commitment to mass education has led to a counterproductive emphasis upon formal learning, even in nursery school children, at the expense of play and creative and engaging activity.

Without Social Europe there can be no Social Britain in our lifetime

Bernadette Ségol, Jude Kirton-Darling MEP

Think piece, 15 April 2014

This essay examines the concept of a Social Europe, a concept which put the values of collectivism, equality and solidarity, firmly at the heart of the EU. This paper was asks whether a left agenda for Europe could promote a renewed focus on securing a Social Europe and with it...

Think Big, Think Bold

Why the Left must aim for a radical Pan-European Green New Deal

Professor Yanis Varoufakis

Think piece, 10 April 2014

This essay examines the causes of the European financial crisis, and argues for a European Green New Deal to tackle the economic crisis in the Eurozone, address the domination of the financial sector across Europe and stem the growing influence of the far-right.

Can the European Union deliver for working people?

Essay series

John Cryer MP, Carolyn Jones, Professor Jonathan Michie, Clare Moody MEP, Claude Moraes MEP

Think piece, 2 April 2014

As the European Elections approach, the media spotlight is increasingly focussing in on Europe and, more specifically, the European Union. In light of this, Class set out to make a weighty, yet balanced, contribution to the debate. We asked six key figures from across the labour and trade union movement,...

Why immigration is good for all of us

Class-Red Pepper magazine

Class-Red Pepper Magazine

Briefing, 21 March 2014

Addressing the argument that migrants are a drain on British resources, this Class pamphlet exposes common myths around immigration . This pamphlet addresses the fact that migrants have been used as scapegoats for a fall in living standards and shows that migrants make a positive contribution to the economy.

Banking in the public interest

Progressive reform of the financial sector

Professor Prem Sikka

Policy paper, 24 February 2014

This paper argues that there has been virtually no structural reforms to the financial sector since the financial crisis of 2008. Despite the organised gambling and anti-social practices by the banks which undermined the stability of the entire economy, it remains business as usual for the financial elite. The corrosive...

What is the 50p tax rate?

Factsheet, 29 January 2014

Our factsheets feature the best articles, the most relevant statistics, and the most up-to-date information to get you clued up on the issues everybody is debating. This factsheet focuses upon the 50p tax rate, after Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls pledged to reintroduce the policy at the 2014 Fabians Conference in...

BRIEFING: Bankers’ Bonuses

Factsheet, 22 January 2014

Our factsheets feature the best articles, the most relevant statistics, and the most up-to-date information to get you clued up on the issues everybody is debating. This factsheet focuses on bankers' bonuses - set to be big news in the coming weeks as RBS gears up to award its staff...

Reconstruction after the Crisis: A Manifesto for Collective Bargaining

Professor Keith Ewing, Lord John Hendy QC

Policy paper, 15 November 2013

The authors of this Class and Institute of Employment Rights joint report set out a timely argument for the introduction of a statutory framework for collective bargaining. Keith Ewing and John Hendy trace the historical background to the current economic crisis – including the dismantling of trade union rights by...

Education, justice and democracy

The struggle over ignorance and opportunity

Professor Stephen J Ball

Policy paper, 17 October 2013

This paper argues that the increased involvement of the private sector in the education system has resulted in selection processes which favour the privileged and neglected the poor. The reluctance of the state to be involved in the education system has made it messy, patchy and diverse. The current system...

Austerity Illusions and Debt Delusions

Class Mythbusters

Briefing, 2 October 2013

Exposing the myths that austerity has 'saved the economy', 'reduced debt', 'brought down borrowing' and 'kick-started recovery' - this Class briefing gives the facts and realities behind the lies. This pamphlet has been produced to expose the Coalition Government’s lies and prove that there are alternative routes back to jobs,...

Boom-time for legal loan sharks

How deregulation, market failure and a crisis in wages has led to the rise of payday lenders

Carl Packman

Policy paper, 11 July 2013

Self-regulated payday lenders have exploded on the consumer credit scene since the recession and financially vulnerable individuals are now starting to feel the impact of this new type of lender on the high street. This paper shows that over a million people took out payday loans in 2012. Much of...