World Basic Income is a not-for-profit campaign organisation based in Manchester, UK. It was founded in 2016 by Laura Bannister and Paul Harnett, who were joined by Adam Ozanne and Nixon Tod to form the initial Board of Directors. The organisation is currently volunteer-led, and is establishing connections with like-minded groups around the world to build a global campaign.
Paul Harnett is an economist. He works on macroeconomics, public finance management and poverty reduction, with specialisms in healthcare, agricultural economics, anti-corruption schemes, community participation, and safety nets including cash transfers. He has worked with the World Bank, European Commission, UNDP, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Health Organisation, the UK’s Department for International Development, the African Development Bank, SECO, USAID and various NGOs, and he sits on the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department expert panel. He has worked throughout Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe and the USA.
Laura Bannister is an economic justice campaigner, political activist and researcher. In various roles she has worked on trade justice, the economics curriculum, child rights and environmental issues, and she helped to draft basic income manifesto proposals during the UK's 2015 general election. She has studied political economy and global justice, and her research has focused on worldwide inequality, the potential for a global minimum wage, and the creep of investor-protections into 'trade' policy. She has worked with NGOs in Zambia, and the Eastern African Greens Federation in Uganda and Kenya. In 2015 she initiated the creation of World Basic Income.
Adam Ozanne is a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Manchester. He comes from Guernsey and graduated from Queen Elizabeth College, the University of London, with a degree in Physics and Astronomy. After travels in Asia and the Pacific and a period working for ActionAid, he obtained an MA in Rural Development from the University of East Anglia in 1984. He came to the University of Manchester in 1985, became a lecturer in 1989 and senior lecturer in 2002. His research has focused on agri-environmental policy, agricultural development and the adoption of new technology in less developed countries, and the neglect of power in mainstream economics. His book, “Power and Neoclassical Economics: A Return to Political Economy in the Teaching of Economics”, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2016. He is actively involved in the University and College Union (UCU), currently as branch secretary and is elected to its National Executive Committee.
Nixon Tod is a carpenter and trade union organiser. After studying economics, he gravitated to his first love - carpentry - and spent 40 years wood-working for theatrical installations, and then supporting wood-work teaching in Further Education. All of this time he also worked as a trade union organiser and is now working full time on union issues, including as chair of the UK UNISON Further Education and Sixth Form College Committee. His long term interests in democracy, empowerment and the redistribution of wealth between Global North and South led him to become a founding director of World Basic Income.
Sarah Methven is a governance and social development consultant. She works on empowering citizens and civil society organisations to engage with governments and decision makers on: rights, livelihoods, justice, community resource management and monitoring. After completing a Masters degree in Social Policy and Social Development she joined www.intrac.org and is now an associate. She has worked with the Department for International Development, the EU and other donors, and for organisations including Oxfam GB and Concern Worldwide. She lived in Southern Africa for ten years and now volunteers with Bristol Signing Support group that supports asylum seekers. After nearly thirty years working in development, she is excited by the potential of a world basic income to empower people and reduce global inequality.
Mike Dowden is an economist. He works on microeconomics, regional economic development focussing on labour market issues and dynamics (un/employment, routes into work, gender, training et al), SME and entrepreneur matters (especially survival entrepreneurship), programme development and financing. Mike’s experience has been with DfID, the European Commission, the World Bank and various NGOs. This work has taken place throughout Europe, Africa, the MENA and Gulf States, Asia and North America.