This House Believes That Austerity Has Been Europe's Worst Policy of the Century

In the wake of the Great Recession, the leaders of Europe reached a consensus that austerity measures would pre-empt total economic collapse.  A decade later, we must ask:  was austerity a necessary means to an end or did it merely deepen poverty and inequality?

Speakers in Proposition:

• Dr Ioana Petrescu : Former Romanian Finance Minister and Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland
• Bill Emmott : Former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist (1993-2006) and author of The Fate of The West

Speakers in Opposition:

• Maria Luis Albuquerque : Former Portuguese Minister of State & Finance and Member of the Board of Governors at the European Investment Bank
• Ruari Quinn: Former Irish Finance Minister and former Leader of the Irish Labour Party

Joaquin Alumnia : Former Spanish Leadere of hte Opposition and European Commissioner for Competition

Prior to this debate, the Emergency Debate will be held at 7.45pm on a motion to be decided at this week's Consultative Committee

With sincere thanks to the following for thier support: