Reshaping the economy a decade after the crash | Letters

Readers discuss the IPPR's report on rebalancing the economy, bankers' bonuses, the NAO report on personal debt, the left's response to the 2008 financial crisis, and the hopes placed on a Corbyn-led Labour party

The IPPR report contains many intriguing ideas (Tom Kibasi: We can and must rebalance the economy. Here's how, 5 September). By 2022, when we could have an effective reforming government, the systemic inequalities the report identifies will have increased considerably, local authorities will be in their death throes, and a Brexit recession may be under way. The problems will be immense. But the solutions proposed by Kibasi, Welby et al amount to feng shui realignments of the devastation wrought by Osborne's wrecking balls.

"Workers on boards", to take one example, will require legislation, regulation, oversight, education, time and funding. The system works well where there is an extensive Mittelstand, but may not suit our complex outsourced structures, which were developed precisely to circumvent the type of demands workers would make (decent conditions, good wages and secure pensions).

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