Hello reader,

Is neoliberalism the only way? How should we challenge the status quo? Join me on Wednesday 5 July for a discussion exploring new economic ideas, livestreamed from The Whitworth Art Gallery as part of Manchester International Festival.

We’ve been told for decades that the economics of profit and growth are the only systems that work for us – but mountains of evidence tells us that this is not the case. In fact, neoliberalism, once promising uncontained growth under free-market capitalism, is now synonymous with austerity and privatisation.

I’ll be joined by leading inequality expert Faiza Shaheen, the writer and economist Stewart Lansley, and Andrew Simms, the political economist and co-author of the Green New Deal. I do hope you can also tune in. Book your £5 ticket here.

Also, during the festival, my colleague Hannah Moore will be chairing a live discussion on Thursday 6 July looking at creating a movement for better mental health support. More details and tickets can be found here.

Thanks,

Zoe Williams,
Columnist for the Guardian