Policy & Strategy @IslingtonBC // formerly Researcher @Demos // Chair of @WCWonks (she/her)
London, England
Joined November 2021
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
The British public is being gaslit about Angela Rayner newstatesman.com/uncategoriz…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Precisely this:
“Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the Government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it.”
🚨HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds arrested in Parliament Square in protest organised by Defend Our Juries
The arrest of otherwise peaceful protesters is a violation of the UK’s international obligations to protect the rights of freedom of expression and assembly.
The protesters in Parliament Square were not inciting violence and it is entirely disproportionate to the point of absurdity to be treating them as terrorists.
Instead of criminalising peaceful demonstrators, the Government should be focusing on taking immediate and unequivocal action to put a stop to Israel’s genocide and ending any risk of UK complicity in it.
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
I've been leading @Demos's Future Public Services Taskforce for the past year.
On Wednesday we launched our blueprint for public service reform alongside @Georgia_Gould, Cabinet Office Minister for public sector reform.
Quick thread on our proposals...
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Its Live - Our New Kickstarter 'Wish We Were Here' stories of working class fantastic spaces - support our artists and our collective here
kickstarter.com/projects/loc…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
*Sighs*
*Opens mental draw marked 'New Labour's responsibility for Grenfell'*
Begins thread...
Tragedies like Grenfell cannot be completely avoided, says Sir Tony Blair trib.al/dqLel5y
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Today’s Grenfell Inquiry report highlights the devastating impacts of decades of austerity and deregulation.
We need real action to ensure this never happens again.
And we need justice for the 72 people killed.
Those responsible must be held to account.
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
👇absolutely true. We covered some of this in episode 5 of our podcast series including @CourtSteph13 speaking about being a working class policy/researcher @Demos (yes they exist but are few in numbers). Listen to the full episode here: shows.acast.com/class-divide…
State school alumni are an asset for employers because (inter alia) their social circle is much more representative of society*: they're much less prone to bubblethink.
* & would be even more so if schools adopted @suttontrust's Fair Admissions Pledge: xitter.gq/suttontrust/status/176…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Big day for @Demos, as our Public Services Taskforce publishes its vision for reform.
Whoever wins the next election needs a new vision for public services.
We think Liberated Public Services could be it.
demos.co.uk/research/liberat…
Quick thread...
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Courtney Stephenson retweeted
🚨REVEALED: For weeks we've captivated audiences with this trailer for a new drama about the harsh realities of temporary housing.
Here's the twist: this isn't drama, it’s real life.
At least 34 children have died in temporary accommodation since 2019.
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
"Many Britons are still unaware of the fact that weapons that are used to murder Palestinians are manufactured in anonymous, nondescript sites in towns and cities across the country."
I wrote about @Workers4Pal 's blockades and arms exports to Israel
theguardian.com/commentisfre…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Three schools of thought on English devolution.
From a new report by @nesta_uk @Demos @ADOBrien88 @CourtSteph13 demos.co.uk/wp-content/uploa…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Interesting findings - but inheritance tax being seen as unfair is not the same as it being unpopular
If we ask people which taxes they want cut, suddenly IHT seems more popular.
Why? A 🧵
Is inheritance tax really as unpopular as people say? Thanks to the generosity of @wethinkpolling, we've exclusive new polling evidence. Thread:
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Today marks #ClassPayGapDay2023 when people from working-class backgrounds effectively work for free from now until the end of the year.
Typically those from w-c backgrounds can be paid an average of nearly £7k less for the same work.
It's unfair and it doesn't have to happen
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Only 14% of people would choose an inheritance tax cut in their top 3 tax cuts
Most people prefer to cut taxes they actually pay like income tax, council tax and VAT
But cutting IHT isn't meant to be a policy for most people, it's used for political games - at a £7bn cost!
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
Councils are spending £1.7bn a year on temporary accommodation
The failure to invest in social infrastructure & preventative support over the last 13yrs means we're now hemorrhaging public funds on downstream costs, much of it flowing to private rentiers theguardian.com/society/2023…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
It's not just gutting that people experiencing destitution has risen by 2.5x in 5 years.
It's DEEPLY shameful.
It's a political choice to have 3.8m experiencing the most severe form of hardship. We must, at a minimum, always ensure that incomes can afford life's essentials.
Destitution is when people cannot afford to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean and fed.
Our new report reveals a shameful rise in the number of people experiencing destitution in the UK.
Here are the key findings 🧵
#DontIgnoreDestitution
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
It's a post that no CEO ever wants to write but
the current financial and political environment is threatening the future of our beloved organisation @RECLAIMproject - we desperately need your help.
If you are able to, please donate to our campaign: justgiving.com/campaign/ifwe…
Today we’re having to launch #IfWeFundThis because we’re finding it harder than ever to give young working-class people a platform to create change - harder financially and harder politically. justgiving.com/campaign/ifwe…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
@nadhimzahawi's argument against inheritance tax is backed up by a list of pretty baseless claims
Short🧵
politicshome.com/thehouse/ar…
Courtney Stephenson retweeted
You say politics lacks big ideas?
Here’s one from @Demos.
Rewrite the Treasury’s spending rules to introduce a new category of spending focused on prevention.
@guardian write up here: theguardian.com/politics/202…
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