As the government strives to create a more inclusive economy, the chancellor would do well to consider who gets tax breaks in this week’s budget. Last year £220m from the public purse was given to just 40,000 high earners through two employee share schemes. So here’s an idea. We know that worker co-ops are a more effective way to give people a stake in the economy. What if this money were redirected and invested in helping low- and middle-income workers set up businesses they owned and ran themselves? That, surely, would be a real step the chancellor could make toward a more inclusive economy.
Ed Mayo Co-operatives UK
Ieva Padagaite Blake House Filmmakers Co-operative
Sion Whellens Calverts
Ross Hodgson Suma Wholefoods
Lucy Humphrey Leading Lives
Stephen Williams Delta-T Devices
Finn Lewis Agile Collective
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
