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Category - big society

  • 9 Jun 2011
    Government 'reforms' are starting to hit the reality wall

    The ‘Big Society’ is becoming a fresh political battleground over the summer, says Simon Barrow. Shrinking the state by galvanising more money and resources from private citizens through volunteering, delegating and contracting is central to the Prime Minister’s approach – both to running the country and to keeping his own party together. But the strategy is beset with disagreement, and a huge 'reality gap'.

  • 23 Apr 2011
    Is the 'Big Society' open to refugees, asks archbishop

    In his Holy Week message, the Anglican Archbishop of York has asked whether Britain's 'Big Society' is doing enough to help refugees.

  • 19 Apr 2011
    Archbishop exposes 'toothless' Big Society, as spending cuts bite

    'Big Society' rhetoric is toothless and may be used to wash ministerial hands of responsibility for the impact of cuts, the Archbishop of Westminster has said.

  • 14 Apr 2011
    Public space and the Golden Rule

    Public and private spaces impose differing obligations. That statement might seem so obvious as to be otiose. But many people seem to be unaware that the sharing of space necessitates the exercise of a restraint which manifests and nourishes the mutuality without which any concept of society - big or otherwise - is impoverished.

  • 12 Apr 2011
    Poorest are losers in 'Big Society', Methodist leaders hear

    Methodist Council has heard that while the Government speaks of a 'Big Society', the poorest in society are losing out most from public spending cuts.

  • 18 Mar 2011
    Making space for each other, and for society

    On Wednesday 16 March I clambered onto a bus heading for Deptford Bridge in South London. It was an articulated, crocodile bus that can barely see what its back end is doing, and it was rammed. In fact, it was so rammed that I couldn’t get my Oyster payment card to the unmanned scanner halfway down the bus.

  • 25 Feb 2011
    Charity manager returns OBE and slams Big Society

    The head of a London charity has returned her OBE in protest at heavy cuts to the services she runs for victims of domestic violence.

  • 20 Feb 2011
    A 'Good Society' cannot let the Nimbys have their own way

    How much power can Nimbys be permitted to exercise over the long term well-being of their communities? Jill Segger says that 'localism' and the 'Big Society are actually obstacles to the building of the 'Good Society'

  • 10 Feb 2011
    Reality check for the Big Society

    This has not been a good week for the Big Society: As the impact of cuts are starting to bite on local communities, charity and council leaders are increasingly calling into question whether the Government’s ‘Big Society’ vision will survive.

  • 10 Feb 2011
    The 'Big Society' bubble is bursting

    David Cameron's 'Big Society' idea is taking a huge battering as public spending cuts bite and the substance behind the rhetoric shows, says Simon Barrow. Equally, the 'shrinking government' agenda becomes ever clearer.