The Big Society is Coming

Cameron today launched the “Big Society” today. I have been interested in this idea for a while as it is core to my own personal belief structure that the government should play as small a role in people’s lives as possible, and from what I had known about the Big Society Idea it appeared that the Prime Minister Agreed with me.

I believe that the plan suffers slightly from sound-byteism being a phrase that commentators can use and question without trying to understand, Nick Ferrari on LBC who tends to be quite cued up on these topics completely missed the point when he asked how the Big Society would help government force it’s will on a local council over refuse collecting, when it is obviously the exact opposite and will create more localism rather than more central control.

Having seen the PM setting out his “Great Agenda” I have to admit I am slightly disappointed, whilst I appreciate that to suddenly roll back the oppressive Labour regime would run the risk of leaving a power vacuum where people with no experience of fending for themselves are suddenly expected to start looking after themselves, however I did feel that the plan could stretch further than to 5 trial areas (Liverpool, Eden Valley, Cumbria, Windsor & Maidenhead and LB of Sutton.) The initiatives being championed include saving a rural pub, recruiting volunteers for a museum and attempting to increase local broadband schemes; and this is where I have the problem as these ideas are not a redistribution of power from Whitehall to local areas but rather government support for perverting the free market. A rural pub kept open by the state will only ever be a liability, if there is to be a pub that will continue and turn a profit then all it actually needs is customers, without which it will fail.

It is early days and hopefully this will not be the pick of the initiatives, perhaps some of them will actually involve a rolling back of government interference, so I am still optimistic and a supporter of the Big Society, just I will probably have to wait before I get too carried away.

Final words will again have to go to the former government, this time to Ed Balls (Labour Leadership Candidate and former Education Secretary.) who stated that Mr. Cameron should apologise to the people of Liverpool for stopping plans to rebuild 20 schools in the city. Once again this has made me shake my head in disbelief, that members of the last administration are so detached from reality that 1) They do not even know what topic they are being asked about and therefore seem to be bringing up random points that bear no relation to what is being spoken about; 2) They still do not understand that it is their fault, despite the fact that there is no money in the treasury (as admitted by Labour on their way out of power.) they still agreed to rebuild 20 schools and despite all of the extreme hardships THEY have inflicted on this country THEY still think they can sit around and whinge about their frivolous “vote buying” projects being cancelled. It reminds me of watching someone who is having a mental breakdown and is struggling to keep attached to the real world, a real heart break in an individual, but nearly disastrous in a political party.

A Possible Appology to Mr. Clegg

Today I heard my first speech from a Lib Dem that I have ever enjoyed listening too. Which was good as I heard Lembit Opik talking earlier who always annoys me. But today Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister actually started to speak like a Liberal!

His proposed reforms, which I am not all in favour of, should at least take some power from Westminster and replace some back in the control of the rest of us.

He mentioned a partially elected House of Lords - I am against a "Partially" elected house as I think it should be either elected or unelected. That said whilst I agree with the principal of an elected Lords I do think it is often important to have an unelected watch on the workings of parliament as the views of the many are not always right (Hitler was elected after all.)

Scrap the ID cards - this is another that I am torn on, I actually think that an ID card is a good idea, what I would like is one card that can work as an ID card, Passport (not just in EU), Driving License (with no paper part.), NI card and anything else I have to carry around, I suppose in short I am not against the idea if it has a provable improvement to my day to day life.

Recall Corrupt MP's - I like this idea, personally I think it should always have been there, I would like some more detail though.

Ask the public which laws should go - this is an interesting one as the Lib Dems have removed the Tory pledge to repeal the Human Rights act, I think there is a very real chance that this may be one of the laws the public want repealed.

So my feelings are that whilst they have not brought up points which all appeal to me, I think after 13 years of "Nanny State" and Big Government, I am willing to give big society and "Adult State" a try, even if it means apologising to all the Lib Dems out there. Well except Lembit.