Laurie Macfarlane

Laurie Macfarlane is a co-director at Future Economy Scotland and a Fellow at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP). He was formerly economics editor at openDemocracy and a senior economist at the New Economics Foundation

Boris Johnson's plan to 'build back better' is an attack on democracy

The prime minister wants to dismantle England’s planning system and hand over more power to private developers. He must be stopped before it's too late.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 4 Jul 2020

Boris Johnson's plan to 'build back better' is an attack on democracy

Exclusive: Countries to face a ‘wave’ of corporate lawsuits challenging emergency COVID-19 measures

Top law firms are preparing to ‘cash in’ on the pandemic by helping corporations sue states for measures that have impaired profits.

By Laura Basu, Laurie Macfarlane and Aaron White

/ 19 May 2020

Exclusive: Countries to face a ‘wave’ of corporate lawsuits challenging emergency COVID-19 measures

By protecting rentier interests, we are making the most vulnerable pay for the crisis

COVID-19 has sharpened the divide between landlords and tenants, and debtors and creditors. We all must ask: whose side are we on?

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 13 May 2020

By protecting rentier interests, we are making the most vulnerable pay for the crisis

A spectre is haunting the West – the spectre of authoritarian capitalism

From coronavirus to climate change, China is surging ahead of the US and its allies. Are we witnessing the slow death of liberal capitalism?

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 16 Apr 2020

A spectre is haunting the West – the spectre of authoritarian capitalism

Our economic system is on life support. But who are we really saving?

Pumping new money into the economy without altering power relations will only exacerbate existing inequalities.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 30 Mar 2020

Our economic system is on life support. But who are we really saving?

Governments must act to stop the coronavirus – but we can't return to business as usual

If our aim is to protect human and environmental health, restoring the status quo is not good enough. Thankfully, there is an alternative.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 12 Mar 2020

Governments must act to stop the coronavirus – but we can't return to business as usual

To tackle inequality, we need to start talking about where wealth comes from

It's hardly surprising people think Britain is a meritocracy: the Thatcherite narrative on wealth creation has gone unchallenged for decades.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 18 Feb 2020

To tackle inequality, we need to start talking about where wealth comes from

Editors’ highlights 2019

The editors of ourEconomy reflect on their favourite articles of the year.

By Laura Basu, Laurie Macfarlane and Aaron White

/ 23 Dec 2019

Britain’s Moment of Truth

A trio of interconnected crises have brought Britain to the brink of radical change. The consequences will be felt for decades to come.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 11 Dec 2019

How misleading economic analysis is corrupting our democracy

Devoid of original ideas, the right is using flawed economic analysis to discredit progressive policy proposals. Here's what to look out for.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 5 Nov 2019

How misleading economic analysis is corrupting our democracy

People powered policy: how Labour's radical agenda was built from the ground up

For decades a closed network of lobbyists and journalists policed what was politically possible. Now a democratic uprising is transforming the debate.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 26 Sep 2019

People powered policy: how Labour's radical agenda was built from the ground up

Now is not the time to defend Britain’s democracy – we need a democratic revolution

The ancient institutions of the British state are well past their sell-by date. Only a radical shake-up can resolve the crisis.

By Laurie Macfarlane

/ 28 Aug 2019

Now is not the time to defend Britain’s democracy – we need a democratic revolution