Library: Briefings

The Fat Cat Diet: A progressive plan for wage fairness

Liam Kennedy, 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

Dr Faiza Shaheen, 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.

Fudging the funding on pay

Liam Kennedy

Briefing, 6 March 2018

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

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

Liam Kennedy

Briefing, 21 November 2017

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

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

Lester Holloway

Briefing, 21 June 2017

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

The Great British Rip Off

How to solve the cost of living crisis

Trade Union Group of MPs, unionstogether, Class Mythbusters

Briefing, 30 September 2014

Over the last year, Class, Unionstogether and the Trade Union Group of MPs have collaborated on a series of regional events to discuss the living standards crisis and the steps that you think should be taken to address it. This publication is the culmination of the issues identified and the...

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.

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,...

Exposing the Myths of Welfare

Class-Red Pepper Mythbuster

Class-Red Pepper Magazine

Briefing, 10 April 2013

This pamphlet is the first in a series of mythbusters from Class and Red Pepper, designed to expose the realities behind the recurring myths which often scew the debate on welfare.

Why Inequality Matters

My Fair London

Briefing, 6 September 2012

With an abundance of evidence, Why Inequality Matters shows that the scourge of inequality has had a real role in the current economic crisis. The pursuit of equality is not just a moral imperative, not just vital for the poor and for the social cohesion and wellbeing of society, it...