The main objectives of this book, set out in Chapter One, were, first, to encourage and support a concerted campaign against poverty, inequality and social injustice and, second, to provide a reasoned case for a new approach to social policy aimed at achieving the goal of social justice. The inspiration behind the book and its objectives is Peter Townsend and, specifically, his consistent, dogged pursuit of social justice in every aspect of his public life: education, research, writing and campaigning. The book's subtitle, referring to a ‘manifesto’, is intended to capture the idea of a public statement of policy on behalf of those who are, at the very least, offended by the present scale of inequality and social injustice in the UK and globally, and who want to do something about it. The form that such action might take should not be prescribed to allow for a multitude of different contributions aimed at changing society rather than expecting that there could be a single movement. Here we have followed Peter's lead and emphasised teaching, research/scholarship and campaigning. It is also essential to recognise the very special nature of Peter Townsend. There are very few who can aspire to emulate his almost all-consuming passion, commitment and sustained campaigning zeal and, for health reasons, we would not recommend that anyone tries to do so!

The preceding chapters have provided the major contributions to the book's objectives. In this final chapter we summarise the key elements of the manifesto for social justice that the contributors have proposed. We then consider the challenges that this presents to the major constituency that Peter addressed throughout his life, policy makers. Finally, we turn inwards, to our own colleagues and students of social policy, to encourage them to be inspired by Peter's legacy, to take up the torch of social justice and, in doing so, to become more public in their campaign. As we approached this final chapter we were very conscious of what Peter might have said in particular about the Coalition government's programme of public expenditure cuts. We hope that we have represented him fairly.