Call for Universal Basic Income to be trialled in Peterborough

A call has been made for a Universal Basic Income to be trialled in Peterborough.
A call has been made to trial a Universal Basic Income in PeterboroughA call has been made to trial a Universal Basic Income in Peterborough
A call has been made to trial a Universal Basic Income in Peterborough

The Green Party has submitted a motion for next week’s Full Council meeting which asks councillors to lobby the Government to begin a trial in Peterborough.

UBI has been tested in other parts of the world, and according to city councillor Nicola Day its advocates argue that it is “the fairest and most effective way to mitigate the effects of coronavirus on people’s incomes”.

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Councillors in Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield have already backed calls for their city to trial the initiative, which would see the state provide income for all citizens, without any conditions attached, and regardless of their other resources.

Cllr Nicola DayCllr Nicola Day
Cllr Nicola Day

MPs debated the issue last September, but the Government said UBI “does not target help to those who need it most”, instead highlighting other support available such as Universal Credit.

The Greens and Liberal Democrats nationally have both backed the initiative.

Cllr Day, Green Party member for Orton Waterville, said: “A network of UBI labs has been set up that is working with local authorities across the UK to develop UBI proposals to address problems such as poverty, inequality, discrimination and environmental damage, long-term as well as in the immediate term, in relation to coronavirus”.”

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She said the current benefit system is “failing citizens, with Universal Credit causing hardship to many communities in Peterborough” and that UBI has “the potential to help address key challenges such as inequality, poverty, precarious employment, loss of community and breach of planetary boundaries”.

Her motion adds: “Given its history of social innovation, wealth of expertise and active networks across community, business and public services, Peterborough is ideally placed to pilot a UBI.”

The motion calls on the council to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Chancellor, the leaders of all political parties and to all Peterborough MPs calling for a trial to take place in the city.

Councillors will vote on the motion on Wednesday.