INVITATION 

 Meeting hosted by David Drew, MP 

Tuesday  February 23^rd, 2010

6.30 – 8.30

Grimond Room, Portcullis House

  The Economics of the Defence Review. Will this add up to greater UK security?  

Ron  P.  Smith

Professor of Applied Economics, Birkbeck College

¨

 Britain’s contribution to creating the climate for a world free of nuclear weapons 

Paul  Ingram

Executive Director,

 British American Security Information Council

  "Our  Taxes, Our Lives"  launched in Parliament
                             July 14th 2009

 “In the current circumstances, if we are to avoid the 'dragging conditions of semi-slump', public spending cuts make absolutely no sense.  The Government should be increasing spending now – and by a lot – not least because it can borrow at such a low long-run rate of interest.  In such circumstances, infrastructure and education are smart investments for all our futures.   If you  want to transform a recession into a depression, go ahead and cut public spending.  I would advise against it."  
         David Blanchflower, member of the Bank of England's MPC from June 2006 - May 2009

ministry for peace’s picture of a peaceful country is one where the citizens are
at ease with one another;  feel secure that their income puts food on the table,
a roof over the head and a bit more;  where they can be sure that any ill health
will receive world-class treatment (and be free at the point of delivery) and where
educational opportunities are open to all for people to make the best of their lives.   

History shows that economic downturns can bring poverty and with it fear, insecurity,
violence, hunts for scapegoats and even wars.    Are such outcomes inevitable?  
Can they be prevented if governments can re-organise economic priorities to ensure
that they do not happen?        We all know that whichever political party wins the next
General Election the new government is going to have to deal with an unprecedented
economic crisis.  None of us wants Britain to become a more violent, divisive country
and see cuts in living standards.   But what should be cut, and what saved?  Who
should pay more taxes and who should be protected?  We the public must have a
voice in this debate.      Spending decisions are financial but they are also moral; they
are about values, identifying what and who, really matters.

In the period up to the General Election in 2010 we will be holding monthly meetings in Parliament and at each compare two items of public expenditure.  We will ask the audience to vote on which cut they would prefer.

The second meeting was held on 28th October. For further information please go to:  www.ourtaxesourlives.org

(At the launch meetring the speakers, above from left to right were: Ann Feltham,  Parliamentary Officer, Campaign Against the Arms Trade.  Kate Hudson, Chair, CND
Diana Basterfield, Co-Founder, ministry for peace;  John McDonnell, MP,  Co-Founder, ministry for peace; Tony Benn;  Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union; John Christensen, Director, Tax Justice Network and Tony Dolphin, Senior Economist, IPPR)