Beth Stratford
@bethstratford.bsky.social
Economist (mainly ecological macro, housing, rent theory). Honorary Fellow at UCL's IIPP. Proud to have helped set up the London Renters Union✊. Co-author #LandForTheMany.
⚡ Our new analysis finds that a windfall tax on bank profits could bring in *£19 billion* from just the UK's biggest four banks if announced in the Autumn Budget. Their profits for the first half of 2026 were £29.2bn (up 21% on the same period last year) 🤑 #TaxTheBanks
Windfall tax on colossal bank profits could raise £19bn in 2026
Burnham urged to resist lobbyists and tax banks to pay for his cost of living measures
positivemoney.org
🚨 NEW: @danneidle.bsky.social claims Scotland’s 48% tax rate has lost public revenue. But is this actually true? My new deep-dive says no – Dan’s analysis doesn’t prove anything. It’s a long read, so buckle up 🧵
Just loving how John Cleese, now reduced to one of his own caricatures, rages about immigrants coming to the UK and failing to accept "our" culture, from his home in ... (checks notes) ... Nevis in the Caribbean.
following friday announcement that the govt will not be bringing in rent controls, i looked at the growing case for them (ft. london renters union @acornunion.bsky.social , @bethstratford.bsky.social, @zackpolanski.bsky.social + more) + what burnham's inaction means about his govt (link below)
“The new Prime Minister has a clear chance to break away from the unpopularity of his predecessors by standing up to City lobbyists & taxing banks’ unearned windfalls.” This policy isn't just about raising billions, it's about showing the public whose side the Govt is on.
Andy Burnham urged to unleash tax raid on banks amid £55billion profit bonanza
EXCLUSIVE: As Britain's big bank prepare to announce a round of bumper half year profits, critics argue a windfall could pay for the government's cost of living crusade
mirror.co.uk
Also including: - @autonomy-institute.bsky.social on caps on political donations - @clesthinkdo.bsky.social on ending trickle down economics with community wealth building - @bethstratford.bsky.social on rent controls - @pollytoynbee.bsky.social on the @highpaycentre.bsky.social
The only historic sustained improvement in housing affordability came at the start of the C20th with rent controls – @bethstratford.bsky.social Catch up with the full Forum 2029 event: youtu.be/Uh1_AUP_dx0?...
Nigel Farage is correct about one thing. It’s the people vs the establishment. Reform are literally the establishment. And it’s the Green Party on the side of the people. Wealth tax. Rent controls. Now. Join.greenparty.org.uk
Rent controls would save households up to £2,400 a year and the Government £2 billion a year. It's a no-brainer. But only the Green Party has a policy to introduce them.
"Rent controls, an idea whose time has come" @zackpolanski.bsky.social at launch of joint NEF / @iipp-ucl.bsky.social report by @bethstratford.bsky.social Huge benefits for renters & gov. Negative impacts on landlords are marginal. Other countries have them, UK has had them before, so why not now?
Right, only two days until we're back with our final Forum 2029 of this series! Don't miss out Weds 8th July, 18:30 'Tackling the private rental sector' w/ @bethstratford.bsky.social | Rosie Worsdale (@jrf-uk.bsky.social) | Beka Hesse (LRU) Sign-up: actionnetwork.org/events/forum...
61% of all political donations in the last quarter came from just 14 people Reform took in £9.3m from a handful of super rich donors British democracy is being bought. We urgently need action to take the money out of our politics
Steve Goodrich@stevejgoodrich.bsky.social · 2mo agoSome quick thoughts on Q1 2026 donations data from @electoralcommission.org.uk 🧵 HEADLINE STATS Total: £20.7m (excl. public funds) Biggest recipient: Reform £9.3m Biggest donor: Ben Delo £4m to Reform Donors giving £1m+: £9.2m (44%) from 3 donors Donors giving £250k+: £12.7m (61%) from 14 donors
"Landlord profit margins are on average around 42% and ordinary business owner's margins are on average 8%. [...] Vast majority of landlords are making supernormal returns" Economist @bethstratford.bsky.social #ChangeNOW 🤝
If you read one thing today, make it @stephenkb.bsky.social's admirably clear and rational analysis of the police's actions following Henry Nowak's murder, from the @financialtimes.com Inside Politics newsletter www.ft.com/content/aa94...
What Henry Nowak’s murder does — and does not — tell us about policing
Kemi Badenoch says his killing needs to be seen as a ‘Stephen Lawrence moment’ but the failures in both cases differ
ft.com
Last year, we shared a paper showing that Labour's accommodation of the radical right did not work. We now have a new version of the paper online: osf.io/preprints/so...
Everyone should be able to access a safe, secure, affordable home. But unaffordable rents make it impossible for people to live good lives. That's why we're calling for an "emergency brake" which would cap rent increases at the lower of inflation or 2%. Read more: neweconomics.org/2026/05/a-mo...
Around a quarter of private renters in the UK spend over 40% of disposable income on rents. This is among the highest rates across the world. Meanwhile new analysis for JRF finds being a private landlord has been one of the best investment options available to individuals.
A tiny 2% annual wealth tax could raise over £5bn a year from the top 15 billionaires on the Sunday Times Rich List alone. That could cut household energy bills by an average of £150 a year using @jrf-uk.bsky.social's Rising Block Tariff proposal. So why isn't the government doing it now?
Our new report – The Property Premium – is out today, with @jrf-uk.bsky.social 🎙️ Key finding: being a private landlord has been the best investment option available to individuals in England over the past decade. Read the full report here: autonomy.work/portfolio/th...
The property premium: the nature and trajectory of landlord profits in England
New Autonomy analysis of landlord profits in England over the previous decade.
autonomy.work
Finally, we have data to show vast majority of landlords earn supernormal returns: even with high interest rates, 63% outperform a 60:40 equity-gilt portfolio & 71% beat the broader real estate sector. Proud to have co-authored this with @autonomy-institute.bsky.social autonomy.work/portfolio/th...
Millionaires are five times more concerned about doctors leaving the UK than they are about other millionaires emigrating 💸 Our poll also found millionaires are proud to live in the UK, and they're willing to pay more tax to invest in our country and its young people.
The @europarl.europa.eu looks set on tuesday to vote through a report on the EU housing crisis that rejects the idea that financialisation has been a key driver. Read my co-authored letter with @danielagabor.bsky.social arguing aginst the report's findings www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/pub...
Letter to the European Parliament's HOUS Committee
Authored by Josh Ryan-Collins and Daniela Gabor
ucl.ac.uk
🏠 A foundation for future housing strategy 'Taking Stock', a paper led by IIPP's @stefanhorn.bsky.social & @bethstratford.bsky.social, outlines the foundational analysis and key frameworks of the Homes that Don’t Cost the Earth (#HDCE) project. ✍️ Read the paper here: buff.ly/TWVFHMn
EVENT: 'Housing, Power and Property' 🏠 Join @jemgilbert.bsky.social, @bethstratford.bsky.social, Nick Bano & more for an afternoon symposium on the politics of housing, rent, urban space and tenants' organising Fri 12th Dec | 1pm | UEL, London (FREE) 👇
Housing, Power and Property
A symposium on the politics of housing, rent, urban space and tenants' organising
buff.ly
🏘️There's huge focus around Labour’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes, and whether they can « build, baby, build ». But the sheer numbers obscure a more important question: can they do it right? @bethstratford.bsky.social and @aydindikerdem.bsky.social give their analysis on our latest episode.👇
Love these guys
Patriotic Millionaires UK@patmillsuk.bsky.social · 11mo agoA fun afternoon with our members at their local club, @leytonorientfc.bsky.social. We were proud match sponsors and had a great time cheering on the O's. Patriotic millionaires will always be on the side of the people. It's time to tax the super rich. #TaxWealthNotWork #WealthTaxNow
🚨 One week left to apply! We're recruiting an interim Executive Director to lead ECU while our ED is on sabbatical. If you're an experienced leader with expertise in fundraising, programme management and governance this could be the role for you. 👇 econchange.org/recruitment/...
Haha, published a report last week – Taking Stock: a foundation for future housing strategy – and my friend asked ChatGPT to rewrite it in style of an 18th Century broadside. Gotta admit it's quite lolz👇. Anyway, ICYMI, exec summary is a 10min read here: darkmatterlabs.notion.site/hdce-takings...
