Academics Urge Prime Minister Burnham to Lead Global Inequality Panel

Forty progressive academics, including Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, issued an open letter urging Andy Burnham to commit the United Kingdom to a new United Nations initiative to combat global inequality. The experts are calling for the creation of an International Panel on Inequality (IPI), which would provide a global evidence base on wealth disparities and policy solutions similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The academics suggested the Prime Minister use the upcoming UN General Assembly and the UK's 2027 G20 chairmanship to signal leadership on the issue. This push occurs amid internal Labour Party debates regarding international development spending following cuts made under Keir Starmer.

Foreign Office minister for growth Stewart Wood responded to the request, stating the government will work with allies to build a coalition for economic change and combat inequality.