The underlying belief or dream is that basic income will provide a mobilising theme to bring about radical change. There is no evidence anywhere in the world for this. Similar proposals have been made every few years for the last 50 years and they have got nowhere (and I do not mention Switzerland). The problem is that it combines a radical vision with a naive or insouciant view of politics. I fear that this latest plan will drain the energies of the left in social policy and will divert attention from so many other worthwhile policy alternatives: the living wage, boosting trade unionism, free childcare, radical changes in housing policy, policies to reduce working time to limit turbo-consumption, green investment and so on. (source)