
thank you very much if ever there’s an idea worth spreading it’s the end of
idea worth spreading it’s the end of
idea worth spreading it’s the end of poverty it’s the making history of this
poverty it’s the making history of this
poverty it’s the making history of this terrible blight on humanity it’s the
terrible blight on humanity it’s the
terrible blight on humanity it’s the thing that divides us it’s the thing
thing that divides us it’s the thing
thing that divides us it’s the thing that creates inequality it’s the thing
that creates inequality it’s the thing
that creates inequality it’s the thing that we need to focus on we’ve made
that we need to focus on we’ve made
that we need to focus on we’ve made incredible achievements over the last 25
incredible achievements over the last 25
incredible achievements over the last 25 years we can be optimistic poverty in
years we can be optimistic poverty in
years we can be optimistic poverty in the world’s fallen by about 300 million
the world’s fallen by about 300 million
the world’s fallen by about 300 million people even though the world’s
people even though the world’s
people even though the world’s population has increased by about 2
population has increased by about 2
population has increased by about 2 billion over this lifetime we I mean we
billion over this lifetime we I mean we
billion over this lifetime we I mean we collectively our social and political
collectively our social and political
collectively our social and political forces have never been more effective at
forces have never been more effective at
forces have never been more effective at fighting poverty then over this period
fighting poverty then over this period
fighting poverty then over this period of time but over billion people still
of time but over billion people still
of time but over billion people still love lives under $2 a day well over 2
love lives under $2 a day well over 2
love lives under $2 a day well over 2 billion people live under $3 a day and
billion people live under $3 a day and
billion people live under $3 a day and when you walk here from Kings Cross down
when you walk here from Kings Cross down
when you walk here from Kings Cross down the road you walk by people who are
the road you walk by people who are
the road you walk by people who are living in dire poverty it’s around us
living in dire poverty it’s around us
living in dire poverty it’s around us it’s everywhere it’s in our lifetimes
it’s everywhere it’s in our lifetimes
it’s everywhere it’s in our lifetimes and the key question is can we make
and the key question is can we make
and the key question is can we make poverty history the MDGs the milind
poverty history the MDGs the milind
poverty history the MDGs the milind Millennium Development Goals set a
Millennium Development Goals set a
Millennium Development Goals set a target of harming world poverty by 2010
target of harming world poverty by 2010
target of harming world poverty by 2010 and they succeeded and now our target
and they succeeded and now our target
and they succeeded and now our target has to be eliminating poverty and that
has to be eliminating poverty and that
has to be eliminating poverty and that implies also hugely reversing the
implies also hugely reversing the
implies also hugely reversing the growing inequality poverty comes in many
growing inequality poverty comes in many
growing inequality poverty comes in many forms and when we think about it we all
forms and when we think about it we all
forms and when we think about it we all have different images in our minds we
have different images in our minds we
have different images in our minds we all think about different people it has
all think about different people it has
all think about different people it has so many dimensions dimensions which are
so many dimensions dimensions which are
so many dimensions dimensions which are defined by gender by race by age by
defined by gender by race by age by
defined by gender by race by age by place and of course all of those matter
place and of course all of those matter
place and of course all of those matter it’s the poverty that surround us that
it’s the poverty that surround us that
it’s the poverty that surround us that we need to address first but of course
we need to address first but of course
we need to address first but of course it’s global poverty a child dying
it’s global poverty a child dying
it’s global poverty a child dying anywhere in the world
anywhere in the world
anywhere in the world is on all of our conscience someone’s
is on all of our conscience someone’s
is on all of our conscience someone’s suffering because they don’t have to is
suffering because they don’t have to is
suffering because they don’t have to is our responsibility and that’s not simply
our responsibility and that’s not simply
our responsibility and that’s not simply an ethical position
an ethical position
an ethical position it’s a position which I believe must be
it’s a position which I believe must be
it’s a position which I believe must be taken if we wanted to see us to
taken if we wanted to see us to
taken if we wanted to see us to sustainable future if we want a cohesive
sustainable future if we want a cohesive
sustainable future if we want a cohesive world and poverty might even be getting
world and poverty might even be getting
world and poverty might even be getting worse in fact we might have reached peak
worse in fact we might have reached peak
worse in fact we might have reached peak poverty reduction what does this mean it
poverty reduction what does this mean it
poverty reduction what does this mean it means that we might be getting less
means that we might be getting less
means that we might be getting less effective and poverty might be getting
effective and poverty might be getting
effective and poverty might be getting much worse and why do I say this because
much worse and why do I say this because
much worse and why do I say this because there are a number of forces building
there are a number of forces building
there are a number of forces building out there that we need to struggle
out there that we need to struggle
out there that we need to struggle against that we need to push back if we
against that we need to push back if we
against that we need to push back if we to eliminate poverty austerity the
to eliminate poverty austerity the
to eliminate poverty austerity the financial crisis of ten years ago has
financial crisis of ten years ago has
financial crisis of ten years ago has greatly increased poverty it’s led to
greatly increased poverty it’s led to
greatly increased poverty it’s led to over fifty million people around the
over fifty million people around the
over fifty million people around the world being laid off it’s reduced
world being laid off it’s reduced
world being laid off it’s reduced pensioners Inc comes and it’s reduced
pensioners Inc comes and it’s reduced
pensioners Inc comes and it’s reduced the incomes of governments it’s led to
the incomes of governments it’s led to
the incomes of governments it’s led to the rising of fees it’s cutting of
the rising of fees it’s cutting of
the rising of fees it’s cutting of Social Security the reduction of health
Social Security the reduction of health
Social Security the reduction of health budgets education budgets infrastructure
budgets education budgets infrastructure
budgets education budgets infrastructure and as working the Oxford Martin School
and as working the Oxford Martin School
and as working the Oxford Martin School incidently funded by city has just shown
incidently funded by city has just shown
incidently funded by city has just shown it has a dramatic increase on poverty
it has a dramatic increase on poverty
it has a dramatic increase on poverty and inequality austerity has greatly
and inequality austerity has greatly
and inequality austerity has greatly raised this another great challenge is
raised this another great challenge is
raised this another great challenge is that of course poverty intersects with
that of course poverty intersects with
that of course poverty intersects with all other dimensions of our lives it
all other dimensions of our lives it
all other dimensions of our lives it intersects with where we live how we
intersects with where we live how we
intersects with where we live how we live whether we have water whether we
live whether we have water whether we
live whether we have water whether we have food whether we have the things we
have food whether we have the things we
have food whether we have the things we need and the growing risks coming from
need and the growing risks coming from
need and the growing risks coming from climate change from biodiversity loss
climate change from biodiversity loss
climate change from biodiversity loss from water depletion and degradation
from water depletion and degradation
from water depletion and degradation raised poverty and increase inequality
raised poverty and increase inequality
raised poverty and increase inequality if you’re rich you can avoid these
if you’re rich you can avoid these
if you’re rich you can avoid these things you can go to Las Vegas or
things you can go to Las Vegas or
things you can go to Las Vegas or Phoenix and live happily
Phoenix and live happily
Phoenix and live happily those are rapidly growing cities because
those are rapidly growing cities because
those are rapidly growing cities because you can turn on the aircon pipe water
you can turn on the aircon pipe water
you can turn on the aircon pipe water from further and deeper but of course if
from further and deeper but of course if
from further and deeper but of course if you live in fragile places if you don’t
you live in fragile places if you don’t
you live in fragile places if you don’t have the money to pay for these things
have the money to pay for these things
have the money to pay for these things your life can be wrecked and many people
your life can be wrecked and many people
your life can be wrecked and many people many millions of people of course die as
many millions of people of course die as
many millions of people of course die as a result of these things
a result of these things
a result of these things exacerbate poverty risks exacerbate
exacerbate poverty risks exacerbate
exacerbate poverty risks exacerbate inequality and climate risk and
inequality and climate risk and
inequality and climate risk and biodiversity loss environmental risks
biodiversity loss environmental risks
biodiversity loss environmental risks amongst these risks are particularly
amongst these risks are particularly
amongst these risks are particularly destructive of lives and futures for
destructive of lives and futures for
destructive of lives and futures for people in communities so when we say
people in communities so when we say
people in communities so when we say let’s eliminate poverty we are not
let’s eliminate poverty we are not
let’s eliminate poverty we are not saying that is the only thing we need to
saying that is the only thing we need to
saying that is the only thing we need to focus on we need to focus on creating a
focus on we need to focus on creating a
focus on we need to focus on creating a sustainable planet where everyone can
sustainable planet where everyone can
sustainable planet where everyone can live together if course wars conflicts
live together if course wars conflicts
live together if course wars conflicts or development in Reverse people’s
or development in Reverse people’s
or development in Reverse people’s livelihoods as you’ll hear from Syria
livelihoods as you’ll hear from Syria
livelihoods as you’ll hear from Syria and elsewhere get destroyed by this and
and elsewhere get destroyed by this and
and elsewhere get destroyed by this and so peace is absolutely fundamental to
so peace is absolutely fundamental to
so peace is absolutely fundamental to the elimination of poverty it’s no
the elimination of poverty it’s no
the elimination of poverty it’s no accident that the most intractable
accident that the most intractable
accident that the most intractable poverty in the world is in fragile
poverty in the world is in fragile
poverty in the world is in fragile states where there are virtually no
states where there are virtually no
states where there are virtually no governments where governments are in
governments where governments are in
governments where governments are in conflicts the raising of walls around
conflicts the raising of walls around
conflicts the raising of walls around our societies is another huge impediment
our societies is another huge impediment
our societies is another huge impediment to poverty reduction and reductions in
to poverty reduction and reductions in
to poverty reduction and reductions in inequality of parents in our
inequality of parents in our
inequality of parents in our grandparents and our great-grandparents
grandparents and our great-grandparents
grandparents and our great-grandparents escaped famines pogroms Wars by being
escaped famines pogroms Wars by being
escaped famines pogroms Wars by being refugees and by being migrants none of
refugees and by being migrants none of
refugees and by being migrants none of us would be here tonight if that have
us would be here tonight if that have
us would be here tonight if that have not happened a third of Ireland migrated
not happened a third of Ireland migrated
not happened a third of Ireland migrated a third of Sweden migrated a third of
a third of Sweden migrated a third of
a third of Sweden migrated a third of Italy migrated that’s how those people
Italy migrated that’s how those people
Italy migrated that’s how those people and their grandparents maintained their
and their grandparents maintained their
and their grandparents maintained their families and survived but those walls
families and survived but those walls
families and survived but those walls that are going up now in keeping people
that are going up now in keeping people
that are going up now in keeping people out mean that people are trapped in
out mean that people are trapped in
out mean that people are trapped in poverty they cannot escape and that
poverty they cannot escape and that
poverty they cannot escape and that trapping is going to increase poverty in
trapping is going to increase poverty in
trapping is going to increase poverty in many many ways within our societies
many many ways within our societies
many many ways within our societies there’s also been capture there’s been
there’s also been capture there’s been
there’s also been capture there’s been capture of government by their very
capture of government by their very
capture of government by their very wealthy and this has to be reversed if
wealthy and this has to be reversed if
wealthy and this has to be reversed if we to overcome poverty and reduce
we to overcome poverty and reduce
we to overcome poverty and reduce inequality the top 1% of
inequality the top 1% of
inequality the top 1% of people in the u.s. now have 40% of the
people in the u.s. now have 40% of the
people in the u.s. now have 40% of the wealth they had 30% before the financial
wealth they had 30% before the financial
wealth they had 30% before the financial crisis in the UK the equivalent number
crisis in the UK the equivalent number
crisis in the UK the equivalent number is that had about 19% before the
is that had about 19% before the
is that had about 19% before the financial crisis and today they have 25%
financial crisis and today they have 25%
financial crisis and today they have 25% this is not simply because they’ve been
this is not simply because they’ve been
this is not simply because they’ve been able to hold on to their assets and
able to hold on to their assets and
able to hold on to their assets and diversify as we learn from The Guardian
diversify as we learn from The Guardian
diversify as we learn from The Guardian Paradise financial structures or Panama
Paradise financial structures or Panama
Paradise financial structures or Panama but also because poor people don’t have
but also because poor people don’t have
but also because poor people don’t have the savings to withstand these crises
the savings to withstand these crises
the savings to withstand these crises and because the rich are able to buy the
and because the rich are able to buy the
and because the rich are able to buy the lobbying power to put them in power and
lobbying power to put them in power and
lobbying power to put them in power and of course to reduce taxes and taxes are
of course to reduce taxes and taxes are
of course to reduce taxes and taxes are absolutely central to the redistribution
absolutely central to the redistribution
absolutely central to the redistribution of income and expenditures which are
of income and expenditures which are
of income and expenditures which are vital for poverty reduction for
vital for poverty reduction for
vital for poverty reduction for investing in social security safety nets
investing in social security safety nets
investing in social security safety nets for investing in health in education in
for investing in health in education in
for investing in health in education in unemployment benefit and all these other
unemployment benefit and all these other
unemployment benefit and all these other things and so the capture of
things and so the capture of
things and so the capture of government’s by elites
government’s by elites
government’s by elites is a deeply troubling thing and has to
is a deeply troubling thing and has to
is a deeply troubling thing and has to be stopped if we to eliminate poverty
be stopped if we to eliminate poverty
be stopped if we to eliminate poverty and inequality we need to ensure that we
and inequality we need to ensure that we
and inequality we need to ensure that we know that our voice is heard in
know that our voice is heard in
know that our voice is heard in government and that the voice of the
government and that the voice of the
government and that the voice of the wealthy and wealthiest is not more
wealthy and wealthiest is not more
wealthy and wealthiest is not more powerful than ours that is the
powerful than ours that is the
powerful than ours that is the fundamental basis of a democracy but
fundamental basis of a democracy but
fundamental basis of a democracy but when you need billions of dollars to
when you need billions of dollars to
when you need billions of dollars to become the President of the United
become the President of the United
become the President of the United States tens of millions of dollars to be
States tens of millions of dollars to be
States tens of millions of dollars to be a congress person you can hardly say
a congress person you can hardly say
a congress person you can hardly say that ordinary people can become a
that ordinary people can become a
that ordinary people can become a president and so our political
president and so our political
president and so our political structures need to change and when you
structures need to change and when you
structures need to change and when you see the populism and the anger you
see the populism and the anger you
see the populism and the anger you wonder why their people are saying we
wonder why their people are saying we
wonder why their people are saying we don’t trust the experts we don’t trust
don’t trust the experts we don’t trust
don’t trust the experts we don’t trust Authority we don’t trust globalization
Authority we don’t trust globalization
Authority we don’t trust globalization my view is that because the system has
my view is that because the system has
my view is that because the system has let people down terribly badly there is
let people down terribly badly there is
let people down terribly badly there is rising inequality the world is far from
rising inequality the world is far from
rising inequality the world is far from being more flat is being more
being more flat is being more
being more flat is being more mountainous it is more and more
mountainous it is more and more
mountainous it is more and more difficult
difficult
difficult to be at the frontier of change ratios
to be at the frontier of change ratios
to be at the frontier of change ratios of rentals or house prices in London not
of rentals or house prices in London not
of rentals or house prices in London not least in this area where we are here to
least in this area where we are here to
least in this area where we are here to income are at record highs and the same
income are at record highs and the same
income are at record highs and the same is true of every dynamic city in the
is true of every dynamic city in the
is true of every dynamic city in the world if you in these right places at
world if you in these right places at
world if you in these right places at the right times with the right skills
the right times with the right skills
the right times with the right skills you do very well but if you not it’s
you do very well but if you not it’s
you do very well but if you not it’s more and more difficult to get yeah and
more and more difficult to get yeah and
more and more difficult to get yeah and that’s why the divides within our
that’s why the divides within our
that’s why the divides within our society the divides between London and
society the divides between London and
society the divides between London and the South East of England and the rest
the South East of England and the rest
the South East of England and the rest of England or between the coastal and
of England or between the coastal and
of England or between the coastal and dynamic cities of the US and the Midwest
dynamic cities of the US and the Midwest
dynamic cities of the US and the Midwest or Mumbai and the rest of India or
or Mumbai and the rest of India or
or Mumbai and the rest of India or Shanghai and the countryside in China or
Shanghai and the countryside in China or
Shanghai and the countryside in China or greater and greater inequality is
greater and greater inequality is
greater and greater inequality is economic geography inequalities about
economic geography inequalities about
economic geography inequalities about where people are about place and about
where people are about place and about
where people are about place and about whether people can be there unemployment
whether people can be there unemployment
whether people can be there unemployment in London is an almost record low
in London is an almost record low
in London is an almost record low incomes are relatively high but if you
incomes are relatively high but if you
incomes are relatively high but if you can’t get here you can’t be part of that
can’t get here you can’t be part of that
can’t get here you can’t be part of that and so addressing things like housing
and so addressing things like housing
and so addressing things like housing markets transport systems getting to
markets transport systems getting to
markets transport systems getting to places becomes essential to this if
places becomes essential to this if
places becomes essential to this if you’re in the Midwest of the US today
you’re in the Midwest of the US today
you’re in the Midwest of the US today your life expectancy in many towns of
your life expectancy in many towns of
your life expectancy in many towns of the Midwest is lower than your parents
the Midwest is lower than your parents
the Midwest is lower than your parents the prospects of getting a job or lower
the prospects of getting a job or lower
the prospects of getting a job or lower than your parents and your chances of
than your parents and your chances of
than your parents and your chances of moving home are half of what your
moving home are half of what your
moving home are half of what your parents were and your unemployment rates
parents were and your unemployment rates
parents were and your unemployment rates are double and then you wonder why
are double and then you wonder why
are double and then you wonder why people vote for Trump and extremists the
people vote for Trump and extremists the
people vote for Trump and extremists the system is not working for ordinary
system is not working for ordinary
system is not working for ordinary people in many parts of the world and
people in many parts of the world and
people in many parts of the world and this is a fault not only of the
this is a fault not only of the
this is a fault not only of the right-wing governments but of the
right-wing governments but of the
right-wing governments but of the left-wing governments too people have
left-wing governments too people have
left-wing governments too people have been let down there are new forces
been let down there are new forces
been let down there are new forces coming which will compound this problem
coming which will compound this problem
coming which will compound this problem that we need to think very deeply about
that we need to think very deeply about
that we need to think very deeply about one of them is automation groups in the
one of them is automation groups in the
one of them is automation groups in the Oxford Martin School estimate that about
Oxford Martin School estimate that about
Oxford Martin School estimate that about 40% of UK jobs forty-seven percent in
40% of UK jobs forty-seven percent in
40% of UK jobs forty-seven percent in the u.s. about 60% in China are
the u.s. about 60% in China are
the u.s. about 60% in China are vulnerable to machine intelligence and
vulnerable to machine intelligence and
vulnerable to machine intelligence and robotics over the next 20 years
robotics over the next 20 years
robotics over the next 20 years anything that’s very routine and rules
anything that’s very routine and rules
anything that’s very routine and rules based whether it’s manufacturing
based whether it’s manufacturing
based whether it’s manufacturing something or a call center or
something or a call center or
something or a call center or back office and administrative tasks can
back office and administrative tasks can
back office and administrative tasks can be done by computers in the future and
be done by computers in the future and
be done by computers in the future and robotics so what is our development
robotics so what is our development
robotics so what is our development model how are people going to be
model how are people going to be
model how are people going to be employed and these are the reasons I’m
employed and these are the reasons I’m
employed and these are the reasons I’m setting out why I say we need to
setting out why I say we need to
setting out why I say we need to redouble our efforts to ensure that we
redouble our efforts to ensure that we
redouble our efforts to ensure that we don’t look back on this time and say
don’t look back on this time and say
don’t look back on this time and say this was the successful time in poverty
this was the successful time in poverty
this was the successful time in poverty reduction because we have an ambition we
reduction because we have an ambition we
reduction because we have an ambition we have an ambition that we know more than
have an ambition that we know more than
have an ambition that we know more than ever before we have more learning we
ever before we have more learning we
ever before we have more learning we more have more capacity to understand
more have more capacity to understand
more have more capacity to understand what’s happening none of us can say we
what’s happening none of us can say we
what’s happening none of us can say we don’t know that’s happening
don’t know that’s happening
don’t know that’s happening our veil of ignorance has been lifted by
our veil of ignorance has been lifted by
our veil of ignorance has been lifted by the power of social media of information
the power of social media of information
the power of social media of information that we have so let’s not wherever we
that we have so let’s not wherever we
that we have so let’s not wherever we are in the world say we don’t know and
are in the world say we don’t know and
are in the world say we don’t know and we also can’t say we don’t know what to
we also can’t say we don’t know what to
we also can’t say we don’t know what to do because there are thousands and
do because there are thousands and
do because there are thousands and thousands of case studies of people that
thousands of case studies of people that
thousands of case studies of people that have escaped poverty of systems that are
have escaped poverty of systems that are
have escaped poverty of systems that are working the way that the estate that the
working the way that the estate that the
working the way that the estate that the financial crisis has impacted on
financial crisis has impacted on
financial crisis has impacted on different countries is extremely
different countries is extremely
different countries is extremely different in some countries it didn’t
different in some countries it didn’t
different in some countries it didn’t lead to any increase in inequality or
lead to any increase in inequality or
lead to any increase in inequality or poverty and in others poverty and
poverty and in others poverty and
poverty and in others poverty and inequality was increased dramatically
inequality was increased dramatically
inequality was increased dramatically there are great experiments going on all
there are great experiments going on all
there are great experiments going on all over the world which show what can be
over the world which show what can be
over the world which show what can be done and there are inspirational people
done and there are inspirational people
done and there are inspirational people all over the world that show that we as
all over the world that show that we as
all over the world that show that we as individuals can make a difference that
individuals can make a difference that
individuals can make a difference that we can spark off each other that we can
we can spark off each other that we can
we can spark off each other that we can learn more rapidly because we have this
learn more rapidly because we have this
learn more rapidly because we have this connectivity so the excuses are fading
connectivity so the excuses are fading
connectivity so the excuses are fading away it’s become a time of choice it’s
away it’s become a time of choice it’s
away it’s become a time of choice it’s become a time when we need to say what’s
become a time when we need to say what’s
become a time when we need to say what’s important to us what do we believe in
important to us what do we believe in
important to us what do we believe in how much difference are we as
how much difference are we as
how much difference are we as individuals going to make to this
individuals going to make to this
individuals going to make to this problem and the ideas that you hear are
problem and the ideas that you hear are
problem and the ideas that you hear are I hope inspirational to you and we’ll
I hope inspirational to you and we’ll
I hope inspirational to you and we’ll help you make that difference thank you
help you make that difference thank you
help you make that difference thank you very much
very much
very much [Applause]
”
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