This event is all about Positive Money’s report “The Power of Big Finance“, which examines the power and influence that big finance wields in society, and its impact on politics and the economy. It argues that the concentration of financial power in the hands of a few large institutions has significant implications for inequality, systemic risk and democratic accountability.

The report highlights how large financial institutions have been able to shape the rules of the game in their favour, from influencing regulatory policies to shaping government bailouts. It draws attention to how the dominance of finance has contributed to rising levels of inequality, by diverting investment away from the real economy and in turn dampening productivity and wage growth.

It also shows how the concentration of financial power has contributed to a lack of transparency and accountability, which has in turn eroded public trust in financial institutions, and argues that reforming the financial system is necessary to address these issues, and calls for policies that reduce the size of big finance and limit its political power.

Overall, our event will provide a comprehensive analysis of the power dynamics at play in the financial system and highlights the importance of addressing the concentration of financial power in order to create a more equitable and sustainable society.

The key speaker is David Barmes, Head of Research at Positive Money and co-author of the report.