Taxing Times: Documentary on Wealth Inequality

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, July 4, 2026

Former Citibank trader Gary Stevenson, who became a millionaire by 25, now focuses on addressing Britain's widening wealth gap through a documentary examining declining real wages and rising economic inequality. He highlights the risks of concentrated wealth, advocates for a wealth tax, and engages with perspectives opposing such measures to underscore the urgent need for systemic economic reforms.

Gary Stevenson, a former Citibank interest rates trader who became a millionaire at 25, has shifted his focus from wealth accumulation to addressing growing economic disparities in Britain. Stevenson, who grew up in a working-class family in Ilford, east London, now hosts a documentary exploring the expanding gap between rich and poor, and the decline in real wages over the last two decades.

In the program, Stevenson draws on his own experience rising from modest beginnings to financial success, crediting his education at the London School of Economics and his role as a trader starting in 2008 during the financial crisis. However, rather than pursuing further personal wealth, he emphasizes the societal risks posed by increasing wealth concentration. Stevenson warns that if current trends continue, billionaires could come to control the majority of resources while the majority of the population owns little or nothing.

A key focus of the documentary includes a meeting with super-rich property investor Bassim Haidir, who last year acquired a £42 million penthouse in London’s One Hyde Park development. Stevenson uses this encounter to highlight his concerns about the erosion of middle- and working-class wealth, arguing that government resources and working-class assets are already diminishing. He advocates for implementing a wealth tax as a means to curb inequality and redistribute economic power.

Haidir counters Stevenson’s proposal, characterizing the call for a wealth tax as driven more by ideology than practical considerations. Despite this, Stevenson maintains that the growing divide is a pressing threat that necessitates systemic change.

The documentary draws attention to the ongoing debate about wealth inequality in the UK, illustrating contrasting perspectives between those advocating for stronger redistributive policies and those who view such approaches with skepticism. Stevenson's personal background and financial success provide him with a unique perspective on the economic forces shaping contemporary society.

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