ECONOMIC INEQUALITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

That this House notes the annual wealth check released by Oxfam to mark the start of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which shows that the 26 richest billionaires in the world own as many assets as the poorest half of the planet's population; records that such inequality of wealth is not only morally indefensible but a major contributory factor in the rise of authoritarian and populist regimes in many parts of the world; and further notes that unless steps are taken by wealthy countries such as the United Kingdom to address inequality in this county and abroad the whole concept of liberal democracy will be at risk.