Piketty to debate top Miliband advisor

This coming Monday, one of Miliband’s top advisors, Lord Stewart Wood, is set to engage with current superstar of the economics world, Thomas Piketty.

Piketty’s recent book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, unpicks the reasons for growing inequality and seeks to explain how to address falling living standards, an issue that’s at the centre of the political debate in the UK.

Following Sadiq Khan’s speech earlier this week – in which he laid out how Labour would begin to address the huge economic disparities that exist between rich and poor in the UK – this event hosted by Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) further underlines just how seriously Labour are taking economic inequality.

Ahead of the event Lord Wood has praised Piketty’s work, telling CLASS:

“I’m delighted Mr Piketty will be joining me in parliament to discuss the important themes he outlines in his bestselling book Capital in the Twenty-First Century. He has helped put the challenge of addressing inequality at the centre of political debate.”

While Piketty has expressed his enthusiasm for engaging with figures so prominent on the mainstream political left:

“It is a pleasure to be able to discuss the findings of my book with a key figure in the Labour Party. Without political action, inequality might grow to dangerous levels.”

Unfortunately, the event is sold out, but if you’re interested in following the conversation on Twitter the event will take place 12.00-13.30, with the hastag #PikettyClass. We’ll also be covering the event on LabourList.