Economists Urge Burnham to Tackle Global Inequality

Forty top economists and academics have written an open letter asking Prime Minister Andy Burnham to sign the United Kingdom up to a major new United Nations initiative focused on wealth disparity. The experts want the UK government to back the creation of the International Panel on Inequality.

The signatory group includes Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, University College London professor Mariana Mazzucato, London School of Economics director Larry Kramer, and York University professor Kate Pickett. Pickett, who co-authored the book The Spirit Level, helped organize the effort to reach out to Downing Street.

In the letter, the scholars explain that the UK has a real chance to show strong international leadership on the issue. They urge Burnham to announce full backing for the initiative when he attends the UN General Assembly next month.

The proposal aims to create an independent research body similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Chaired by Stiglitz, the team will collect clear data, monitor growing wealth gaps, and suggest real economic solutions for world leaders to act on.

Several nations have already helped lay the groundwork for the project.Countries involved include Brazil, South Africa, Norway, and Spain. The initiative builds on global momentum to protect public services, reform fair tax systems, and lift poorer communities out of long-term economic hardship.

The academics point directly to Burnham's domestic focus, known as the Makerfield test, which aims to ensure neglected towns across the UK receive fair funding and support. However, the group stresses that extreme wealth gaps are a growing global crisis that requires direct international action alongside local fixes.

The letter highlights that the UK will chair the G20 forum next year. The G20 brings together major economic powers and key developing nations, including India, China, and Brazil. Supporters say holding the chair gives the UK a rare platform to shape international trade, tax standards, and global aid.

Charities, policy groups, and backbench MPs have also been pressing Burnham to reset the nation's foreign aid and global development goals. The UK previously cut aid funding under Keir Starmer to boost defence spending, a choice that led to the high-profile resignation of development minister Anneliese Dodds.

Supporters argue that joining the initiative will build on Burnham's earlier work. During his nine years as Mayor of Greater Manchester, he focused heavily on regional fairness, better housing, and reducing poverty. Taking part in the UN project would let him apply those same core values on a much larger global stage.

The open letter notes that growing wealth gaps destabilize economies and weaken public trust in democratic institutions. Without clear global cooperation, nations will struggle to solve related challenges like climate change, economic migration, and poor public health infrastructure.

By backing the UN effort, the UK could help set universal standards for tracking extreme wealth, stopping tax evasion, and encouraging investment in essential services. The panel would provide accurate, unbiased facts so governments can make better choices for all citizens.

Downing Street has not yet made an official statement on whether the Prime Minister will sign the proposal during his upcoming trip to the United Nations General Assembly. However, pressure continues to grow from both economic experts and domestic campaigners who want to see the UK return to a leading role in fighting world poverty.