Gary Stevenson highlighted perfectly why we should continue to have hope about fixing inequality in the UK.
With millions continuing to struggle financially, inequality and the cost of living in Britain is arguably the greatest issue facing the country.
It was only last month that Labour figures Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting called out Tony Blair for ignoring the issue in his lengthy essay criticising the party.
It seems though that whenever someone suggests a radical move to address the issue, such as a form of wealth tax, they are often told this is unfeasible and would have disastrous consequences for the economy.
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But Great Britain does have history in taking radical steps to improve the lives of every single one of its citizens, as Gary Stevenson has explained.
The former financial trader was speaking at Compass‘ Change:NOW! event when he pointed to progressive income tax as the cold, hard evidence of Britain taking unprecedented moves to address inequality.
“My grandmother was born here in London in the 1920s, in the richest city in the richest country in the history of the world, and three of her siblings died of tuberculosis,” he said.
“That is what happens when you don’t deal with your inequality, wealth surrounded by desperate poverty.
“And in the course of her lifetime, we moved from that kind of country, where ordinary, hardworking people see their kids die of poverty, to the world that my dad grew up in.
“He worked for the post office for 35 years, brought a house, had a pension, had a retirement, had three kids, financial security, good quality education, good quality healthcare, good quality housing.”
Stevenson continued: “We did that in the course of one woman’s lifetime, with no historical precedent of it ever happening before.
“So don’t tell me it’s impossible!”