Danny Sriskandarajah

Yet, here we are today, when some countries want their flag to be the biggest - or don't even want their flag to be flying at the UN. Today's internationalists need to work even harder to protect multilateralism from vandalism by a few. Happy UN Day!

I stumbled on this reflection from Eleanor Roosevelt when researching my book (see below). As the HQ opened, she was worried that many Americans were uncomfortable that their flag would fly as an equal amongst 60 and alongside the UN flag.

It feels bittersweet to be at the UN HQ on the day it turns 80. Yes, a day to celebrate what the United Nations system has achieved in these eight decades. But, watching as the flags were being hoisted this morning reminded how fragile the system is today.

That's a fair challenge Duncan. Charity structures and cultures will need to change if they are to walk the talk on participation.

📆 Starting at 4pm - don't miss this great #IMFmeetings event.
📺 Watch online: https://worldbank.pulse.ly/uhflhpawgy

For too long the development sector has ignored rising wealth inequality. Orgs like the World Bank & the IMF have a key role to play in measuring & addressing extreme wealth. Join this great panel at next week's Annuals at 11am EST on 15 Oct. Livestream at www.worldbank.org/en/events/20...

Conservatives announce £5,000 tax rebate for young home buyers Speaking at the party's conference, Shadow chancellor Mel Stride will say the proposal will be funded by cuts to public spending worth £47bn.

Very disappointing to see the Shadow Chancellor is proposing massive cuts to welfare and aid if elected. A tragedy that a party @conservatives.bsky.social that led the world in legislating to spend 0.7% of GNI on aid now wants to drop it to 0.1% at a time of rising need
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Quote from chief executive, Danny Sriskandarajah: “It was good to hear the prime minister focus on delivering a fairer economy for all, and the importance of a ​‘muscular state’ with adequate public investment. But if he is serious about renewal, then we cannot wait on growth that may never come. The government needs to free itself from its fiscal straight jacket that allows small changes in forecasting to determine how many children go hungry at night."

If the prime minister is serious about renewal, then we cannot wait on growth that may never come.

@dhnnjyn.bsky.social responds to Keir Starmer's conference speech

🚨 PANEL EVENT

Join us for a panel & drinks reception unpacking fresh insights from our new project — Who Owns Britain? — which investigates who owns our essential services & how we can rebuild the country.

🗓️ 30/09 7PM
📍 Labour Party Conference
🔗 RSVP www.eventbrite.com/e/who-owns-b...

Even in dark times, we know people have successfully challenged power & won

4 new books explain that movements are about organizing, growing communities, and building power among people to effect change

@benphillips76.bsky.social, @dhnnjyn.bsky.social,
@sarahschulman.bsky.social & Marshall Ganz

Text: Quote from Danny Sriskandarajah: "Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper have continued the tradition of their predecessors in cracking down on the right to protest in the UK. The sight of hundreds of peaceful protestors being mass arrested should be a wake-up call to the dangers of shrinking the space for legal protest. We mustn't forget the context in which these protests are taking place. We have all spent the last 20 months looking in horror at images of death, starvation and destruction in Gaza – while the international community seems unable or unwilling to stop the atrocities or hold Israel to account for violations of international humanitarian law and principles. It feels hugely disproportionate to treat protestors as terrorists for peacefully expressing the horror and anguish many of us are feeling right now."

Protecting civic freedoms is essential to protecting democracy. It feels hugely disproportionate to treat peaceful protesters as terrorists. Our view on the weekend's arrests.

While the vast majority of British people support the right to peaceful protest, policymakers & some media celebrate protest if it is somewhere else or long ago but demonise it when it happens here, today. Yet, protecting civic freedoms is essential to protecting democracy.

The arrest of nearly 500 peaceful protestors on Saturday is just the latest attack on civic freedoms in the UK. We may think of the UK as a vibrant democracy but the developments of the last few years are really worrying, as catalogued in the CIVICUS Monitor monitor.civicus.org/country/unit... 1/2

Thanks Natalie. Will keep you posted if the invite comes in... 😀

In the first half of 2025 the UK labour market has weakened, undermining the Government’s ambition of boosting employment during the remainder of the Parliament. WORK MATTERS 2025 13.00 - 14.00 | Thursday 17 July 2025 | Online Labour market at a crossroads? Against this backdrop, what are the trade-offs facing policymakers in the middle of 2025, and what should they be prioritising in the second half of the year? Join the Work Foundation and a panel of experts to review the labour market statistics and inflation data, and what it means for workers, businesses and communities. Confirmed speakers: Ben Harrison (Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University) Naomi Clayton (Chief Executive, Institute for Employment Studies) Danny Sriskandarajah (Chief Executive, New Economics Foundation) Delphine Strauss (Economics Correspondent, The Financial Times).

To hear more about the latest figures from @ONS join us at 13.00 for our online Work Matters event with @dhnnjyn.bsky.social of @neweconomics.bsky.social, @naomiclayton.bsky.social of @employmentstudies.bsky.social & Delphine Strauss of @financialtimes.com (10/10): eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-matte...

And thanks for the kind words about @neweconomics.bsky.social!

Good to hear @eddavey.libdems.org.uk put cheaper, more accessible renewable energy at the heart of the @libdems.org.uk vision for the future of the British economy. And glad he sees "fiscal responsibility as a means not an end in itself". @ippr.org

Today's Leeds Reforms & Mansion House speech are based on two problematic myths: that financial services hold the key to good growth & that regulations are holding us back. Some reflections on another exciting day in economic policy.

The British “wealth exodus” is a big fat myth Rachel Reeves is not responsible for chasing millionaires away from UK PLC.

A great piece from my colleague Hollie Wright in the @newstatesman.com exposing the myth behind the great British wealth exodus #wealthtax

www.newstatesman.com/politics/202...

We need a fundamental redesign of our tax system. @dhnnjyn.bsky.social sets out why on CNN

"They could have done this very differently... they could have changed the rules."

@dhnnjyn.bsky.social was on the Bloomberg UK Politics podcast to discuss Labour's first year in government

Aberdeen under fire after ousting financial charity’s board The chief executive and all ten independent trustees of Abrdn Financial Fairness Trust were removed in shift away from funding research

Shame that the @financialfairness.bsky.social trust is being wound up.

Such a thoughtful funder providing precious resources to timely work to understand and support fairness. And a good example of corporate philanthropy at its best.

www.thetimes.com/business-mon...

Am super excited to be speaking at the first event in the newly reopened Redhills Durham Miners Hall, home of the Pitman's Parliament. What a place to be talking about people power!

Thank you @insightsnortheast.bsky.social and @mattbailliesmith.bsky.social for inviting me.

Power to the people Mass protest in the modern era

Thanks @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for including Power to the People in your thoughtful piece in this week's TLS @thetls.bsky.social

I love your last line: "If there is one constant in all these stories, it is that change can come from the most unlikely places." app.the-tls.co.uk/212297/conte...

Danny Sriskandarajah: People Have the Power From Fri 15 Aug - This is an event for people who want to fight back against the unhappy narratives around them, with an author whose life and work emphasises taking action in difficult circumstances…

If you'll be at the #EdBookFest this year - or just in Edinburgh on Friday, 15 August - please do come along to this discussion about Power to the People

www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

Congratulations to @joswinson.bsky.social and colleagues at p4ne.org on turning 10! An amazing org supporting am amazing sector, whose time has come. Be more ostrich, beaver and bee!

Has Rachel Reeves made the right choices? Our panel responds to the spending review The chancellor announced spending on health, housing, defence, and infrastructure. But will it be felt by ordinary voters? Sahil Dutta, Kirsty Major and Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah respond

"...the chancellor is overlooking household economic security as a lever for growth. Unless we also boost day-to-day spending in key departments, living standards will continue to decline."

NEF's @dhnnjyn.bsky.social on the spending review for @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Has Rachel Reeves made the right choices? Our panel responds to the spending review The chancellor announced spending on health, housing, defence, and infrastructure. But will it be felt by ordinary voters? Sahil Dutta, Kirsty Major and Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah respond

On days like this, it is clear that the government has fallen victim to “Treasury brain”, clouded by outdated and arbitrary fiscal rules that it has set itself. My initial reaction to Spending Review for the @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Quote card: Dr. Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, chief executive of NEF says "While more money for new housing and energy infrastructure is very welcome, capital spending alone won’t improve people’s living standards. People across the country are already struggling to pay for the essentials, and we know that cuts to benefits and day-to-day spending in key departments will only leave people feeling worse off. Voters have already shown this is not something they will tolerate. The government can’t cut its way out of this mess. It must consider freeing itself from the self-imposed fiscal rules that continue to hold us all back, and be willing to tax wealth the same way we tax income from work so we can properly fund the services we all rely on."

"Capital spending alone won't improve people's living standards"

Responding to the Chancellor’s spending review, NEF Chief Executive @dhnnjyn.bsky.social says the government remains held back by self-imposed fiscal rules, and must tax wealth as we tax income from work to fund services we rely on.

My colleagues at @neweconomics.bsky.social and I will be looking out for 2 things in today's Spending Review: will the things that matter to people get better & will a progressive heart accompany Treasury brain? Some thoughts