‘Crisis has shown insecurity

BASIC income is an old idea, but one that has found increased relevance. It is a simple concept at its core – a regular unconditional payment to each individual. In contrast to the current system of social security, Universal Credit, which is characterised by punitive sanctions and conditionality, a basic income does not change as you move in and out of work, and has no requirements attached to it in terms of activity or use.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the economic precarity prevalent in our economy to a significant degree, with many people, whether through jobs in the gig economy or due to self-employment, slipping through the support net that has been introduced by the UK Government.

Basic income offers a chance to both respond to the current crisis, but also to create a new foundation for a reinvigorated social contract for the future.

This is strengthened by the evidence of support shown in the polling released by Mark Diffley in this paper today.

Of course, data from a single survey does not provide unquestionable proof that the public would back the introduction of basic income.

Work on increasing public understanding of the issue would need to be undertaken before more informed estimates of support are given.

Having said that, such strong, albeit partial, evidence should, at the very least, lead to a fuller and more considered discussion of the issue. So, what next for UBI in Scotland? The findings of this survey demonstrate that there is public appetite for basic income to be explored in more detail as a policy proposal.

This opens up space for those who have expressed political support, such as the SNP and Greens, to start from a position of potential public support. It also opens up the space for those opposed or agnostic on basic income to join the discussion.

Willie Rennie recently called for a