Labour’s payday lenders policy is a welcome move from neo-liberal to relational finance
Ed Miliband will today propose payday lending companies be forced to pay a levy in order to support credit union alternatives and free debt advice.
Carl Packman
Website Carl is a health researcher; he writes book reviews for Left Foot Forward. Carl has written for the Guardian, New Statesman, Tribune Magazine, and The Philosopher's Magazine and blogs regularly at Though Cowards Flinch and Liberal Conspiracy. He is currently writing a book on consumer debt.
Turn RBS into a network of community banks, based on the German model
To turn RBS into a network of community banks, looking at German Sparkassen for inspiration, would be a step closer to the kind of relational finance our communities desperately need.
Despite today’s announcement, we are still waiting for proper regulation of payday lenders
Today’s announcement was a long time coming, but we are still left waiting for strong regulation over this controversial industry. How much longer can this go on?
Is it possible to be a Tory and a trade unionist?
To the question of whether one can be a Conservative and a trade unionist, the answer is of course yes. But perhaps in the same way that a turkey can theoretically vote for Christmas.
Ed Miliband has put the willies up ConservativeHome
Ed Miliband has seen this Tory-led government pull a fast one on the ‘C2s’ and the ‘strivers’ and has offered something the Tories cannot give.
52 per cent now struggling to pay the bills
Money Advice Service has shown that the proportion of people struggling to keep up with their bills and credit commitments has risen from 35 per cent in 2006 to 52 per cent in 2013.
UNISON fights back against payday lenders
UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, has announced that it will be creating a network of credit unions to “help impoverished members deal with personal debt and financial difficulties”.
A boycott would significantly damage Putin’s prestige
A boycott of the games would cause major embarrassment, even for Russians who sympathise with Putin.
Book review: The Socialist Way: Social Democracy in Contemporary Britain
Carl Packman reviews The Socialist Way, edited by Roy Hattersley and Kevin Hickson.
The Archbishop and Wonga: busting a few myths
Carl Packman busts two myths about the recent remarks about Wonga by Archbishop Justin Welby.