They also believe that this is just a cover up for the cuts, and the pain they will inflict across the country. When the voluntary sector is set to lose an estimated £1.4 billion through local government cuts, it’s not hard to see why.
Labour must do two things to expose the shallow and meaningless Tory ‘big society’.
Firstly, they must expose the myth that government can pull back from society and at the same time strengthen it.
Secondly, we must reinforce our position as champions of ‘stronger communities’.
Benefit cuts, trebling tuition fees, the scrapping of EMAs and employment programmes alongside severe cuts to local government will have a devastating effect for almost every community across the country. It will mean community groups losing funding, with many of them being forced to close. It will mean less money for advice agencies like Money Matters, Community Law Centres and Citizen Advice Bureaus. It will mean the closure of libraries and leisure centres, which by their very nature are community hubs.
I was struck by a debate I was having with community groups in my own constituency about how indifferent they were to the ‘big society’. They pointed out that they don’t believe they can change society and many don’t want to. But what people do want is the power to change their community, to have a say and an influence on their surroundings, their street, their local facilities, their neighbourhoods.
It is important to identify the difference between community and society, as my constituents instinctively do.
Society is the overall fabric of the country which needs the support of the state; it is healthcare, education, safety on our streets, a growing economy and welfare. Only the state can ensure that these cornerstones are supported and delivered cohesively and uniformly – we cannot expect disparate voluntary organisations to guarantee equality of access to these vital services. The state cannot and should not pass the buck on these issues, as the coalition government would have us do. We should also recognise that too often voluntary sector organisations actually have to fill in for the deficiencies of the state.
Community, on the other hand, is truly local. It is area initiatives, local charities, community groups and resident associations. It is these places where ideas grow, where people interact with their locality and their neighbours. It is their community that we need to ask people to genuinely support and participate in. We must recognise that community often fills the gaps where the state cannot be, and this should be encouraged. What we should not ask is that community fills the shoes of the state.
Labour has a proud record of supporting the voluntary sector. Indeed, the number of voluntary sector organisations increased by almost 5,000 every year under Labour, and the voluntary sector workforce increased by 26 per cent over the last 10 years. We have long known that the community supports the work of the state, and that by listening to the community we can learn first-hand the shortcomings of the state, and the improvements government can make.
Labour, by its tradition, was always a community movement and in many places it still is. The Labour party activist and membership base was often the leaders of these local community groups, residents’ associations and campaign groups.
Going forward, in order to present an alternative to the ‘big society’ disguise, Labour must look at how it can better support local government and local communities in a climate of tight finances. While we must continue to highlight and fight against severe cuts, we must champion community groups and help develop and expand community assets. We must look at how we can promote cooperatives and social enterprises. Our members, activists and elected members must not just support local people, they must lead community campaigns.
We must recapture this spirit and show that Labour is campaigning for and delivering change at every level. So whatever we call it – the ‘big society’, the Good Society or Stronger Communities – let’s get back to our proud Labour tradition of community at the heart of our movement.
For more on the ‘big society’…
Tessa Jowell MP says the ‘big society’ has failed as a political message: it’s time for Labour to try a ‘good society’
If the government is willing to be bold a ‘big philanthropy’ could fill the gaps in the ‘big society’ says Hazel Blears MP
A ‘good society’ would see social pressure exerted to make Britain a fairer place argues Richard Angell
The unreliable big society – Tom Levitt in his Third Sector column
Dave Roberts says the ‘big society’ could, with some changes, be a Labour idea
People overwhelmingly prefer to be consulted, rather than involved, in community decisions says Alan Middleton
Richard Darlington says even if the ‘big society’ isn’t the right answer Labour shouldn’t cede the ground it’s built on to the Tories
As an example of Labour’s ‘good society’ in action David Miliband and Tessa Jowell suggest that the BBC is turned into a co-operative
Paul Harvey thinks parts of the ‘big society’ can find roots in Labour revisionist thinking from the mid-twentieth century
Nobody knew what Blair was talking about with his third way did not stop it did it. The big society means that government will not look after all your needs anymore very much like Labour stated when they said we have to do more for our selves, the Tories are only following on from New labour. What does it mean, well if you mother is getting old and she need care you care for her, if you have a local problem with litter you get together go out and pick it up. If your area needs a youth club or needs a football team, you get together go out and do it. We use to do it long ago, I remember my mother in Snow going out side with other neighbors and clearing the snow off the pavement. When the pavement got dirty out they go with curlers headscarf and clean the pavements. I’m a disability sports coach I have people who will help me with kids, but we need so many checks now on every one all my money now goes on CRB checks yet the fact is these people are never alone with a child, but under New labour we are all pedophiles. Will it work, not unless you put money into it, picking up litter you need the tools to do it, you need the council to come around and then pick up the bags. During Blair’s time when he told hospital to cut back bring in private cleaners, my wife and group of other people use to go down to the local hospital and clean the wards, because one young girl of eighteen had to clean three wards on her own, hence the rise in MRSA. we all know what the big society is, it whether the money is put in place to do it
oh well, third way or third reich,take your pick.
what a stupid thing to say
and saying revolution isn’t stupid?
Excellent article Anas. I was part of David Miliband’s Movement for Change and it gave me a real insight into the history of the Labour Party as a force for good in our communities. I think that the continuation of this in some form should be part of Labour’s response to the Big Society(Small State). It is heartening to read that you agree and I hope that you and others in the party can provide the leadership and guidance to ensure that the Labour Party can once again become the beating heart of our local communities.
I will agree with that, so long as they are out of power, it’s in Government that labour are bad.