Actually Mainstream Economics

Here, while we wait in vain for so much as one economist to endorse any other candidate, never mind to endorse the other side:

The accusation is widely made that Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters have moved to the extreme left on economic policy. But this is not supported by the candidate’s statements or policies.

His opposition to austerity is actually mainstream economics, even backed by the conservative IMF. He aims to boost growth and prosperity. He voted against the shameful £12bn in cuts in the welfare bill.

Despite the barrage of media coverage to the contrary, it is the current government’s policy and its objectives which are extreme.

The attempt to produce a balanced public sector budget primarily through cuts to spending failed in the previous parliament. Increasing child poverty and cutting support for the most vulnerable is unjustifiable.

Cutting government investment in the name of prudence is wrong because it prevents growth, innovation and productivity increases, which are all much needed by our economy, and so over time increases the debt due to lower tax receipts.

We the undersigned are not all supporters of Jeremy Corbyn. But we hope to clarify just where the “extremism” lies in the current economic debate.

Yours,

David Blanchflower, Bruce V, Rauner Professor of Economics Dartmouth and Stirling, Ex-member of the MPC 

Mariana Mazzucato, Professor, Sussex 

Grazia Ietto-Gillies, Emeritus Professor, London South Bank University 

Malcolm Walker, Emeritus Professor, Leeds 

Robert Wade, Professor, LSE 

Michael Burke, economist 

Steve Keen, Professor, Kingston 

Victoria Chick, emeritus professor, UCL 

Anna Coote, NEF personal capacity 

Ozlem Onaran, Professor, Greenwich 

Andrew Cumbers, Professor, Glasgow 

Tina Roberts, economist 

Dr Suzanne J. Konzelmann, Birkbeck, 

Tanweer Ali, lecturer, New York 

John Weeks, Professor, SOAS 

Marco Veronese Passarella, lecturer, Leeds 

Dr Judith Heyer, Emeritus Fellow, Somerville College, Oxford 

Dr Jerome De-Henau, Senior Lecturer, Open University

Stefano Lucarelli, Professor, Bergamo 

Paul Hudson, Formerly Universität Wissemburg-Halle

Mario Seccareccia, Professor, Ottawa

Dr Pritam Singh, Professor, Oxford Brookes

Arturo Hermann, Senior research fellow at Istat, Rome 

Dr John Roberts, Brunel 

Cyrus Bina, Professor, Minnesota 

Alan Freeman, retired former economist 

George Irvin, Professor, SOAS 

Susan Pashkoff, economist 

Radhika Desai, Professor, Manitoba 

Diego Sánchez-Ancochea. Associate Professor, Oxford 

Guglielmo Forges Davanzati, Associate Professor, Salento 

Jeanette Findlay, Senior Lecturer, Glasgow 

Raphael Kaplinsky, Emeritus Professor, Open University 

John Ross, Socialist Economic Bulletin

Steven Hail, Adjunct Lecturer, Adelaide

Louis-Philippe Rochon, Associate Professor, Laurentian

Hilary Wainwright, editor, Red Pepper

Arturo Hermann, senior researcher, ISAE, Rome

Joshua Ryan-Collins, NEF personal capacity
James Medway, lecturer, City University

Alberto Paloni, professor, Glasgow

Dr Mary Roberton, Leeds