Prof Richard Wilkinson: Inequality is a trigger to violence

Published: 23 July, 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

THE controversial academic who blew apart the idea that growth in rich countries is good for public health is leading an inquiry into inequality in Islington.

Acclaimed professor Richard Wilkinson made history this week when he chaired the first meeting of the Fairness Commission, the new Labour council’s big election pledge.

Professor Wilkinson is best known for his book The Spirit Level – Why Equality is Better, co-written by Kate Pickett, which argues that public health and wellbeing are worse where there is high inequality.

The Fairness Commission – a pet project of Labour council leader Catherine West – was set up to investigate inequality in Islington and help shape next year’s budget. It  was hailed as a huge success as more than 100 people packed the newly- refurbished Assembly Hall in Upper Street on Monday.

The council is facing tough budget decisions after the Tory-Lib Dem government imposed £7million cuts in this year’s budget. At the same time, Islington remains the eighth-most-deprived local authority in England.

Professor Wilkinson explained how quality of life was linked to how equal a country is rather than how rich it is. “More equal societies are more cohesive,” he said. “They have less violence, fewer drug problems and better health. A fairer society can improve the quality of life for all of us. We all know these problems are rooted in relative deprivation and social status. These problems get worse as differences get bigger.”

He added: “One of the main triggers to violence is how you’re looked at, disrespected, loss of face, people’s self-worth.”

Lib Dems have renamed the panel “the Fudge Commission” and accused Labour of creating another talking shop.

Lib Dem councillor Tracy Ismail, a member of the commission, attended Monday’s meeting, but her party colleague and former council leader Councillor Terry Stacy boycotted it.

Cllr Stacy said: “Nobody can dispute that the borough’s politicians should always be looking to make Islington a fairer place. But Labour’s new quango is a waste of time and money when council cash is tighter than ever. It will tell us nothing that isn’t already known about levels of poverty.”

An NHS Islington study published this year showed how life expectancy varied, with men expected to live five years longer in Clerkenwell ward (77.8 years) than Tollington (72.6). Women had the highest life expectancy in St George’s (82.5), with the figure for Finsbury Park 78.1 years.

Theresa Coyle, from Homes for Islington, urged the commission to come up with ways of giving people the tools to help themselves, adding: “I’ve sat round these tables for years and it’s not working so let’s do something different.”

Labour councillor Mick O’Sullivan said: “Essentially, this commission is trying to do a salvage job, a triage job.”

The commission will meet seven times and produce an interim report in December.