RSA at Party Conferences 2010

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What does the Big Society mean for struggling communities in need of regeneration? The RSA's fringe events will give the three main parties the opportunity to discuss how society should evolve to cope with emerging challenges in a climate of public spending cuts.

These events are sponsored by The Social Investment Business.

The Social Investment Business 

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Liberal Democrats
Labour
Conservative Party

You can keep up with these events on Twitter: #rsaconf

Liberal Democrats

From pavement politics to civic renewal: the Liberal take on the Big Society
21 September: 1.00pm - 2.00pm, ACC Liverpool, Hall 3A

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A Liberal, Sir William Beveridge, the architect of the welfare state, worried that there were flaws in his designs, that there was not sufficient 'room, opportunity and encouragement for voluntary action in seeking new ways of social advance... services of a kind which often money cannot buy'. Given the current discussion around the Conservatives 'Big Society', was Beveridge right to be concerned that services orientated around need, make citizens become passive recipients rather than active participants?

 
Our event will examine the theme of the big society and ask how can the Lib Democrats help develop a clearly a clear criteria for deciding what activity might fall under the Big Society banner? Can the party's strong history of grassroots political activism actually make them best placed to realize the 'Big Society'? And how will the party help shape mainstream policies across Government so that the Big Society might be realized?

Panel members include:

  • Camilla Cavendish, The Times - Chair
  • Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families
  • Simon Hughes MP, Deputy leader, Liberal Democrats
  • Matthew Taylor, Chief executive, RSA
  • Ben Page, Chief executive, Ipsos MORI
  • Iain Tuckett, Group director, Coin Street

Labour Party
The state we’re in: Should Labour wean itself off big Government? 
27 September: 6.00pm - 7.30pm, Manchester Central, Charter 3

The Labour party has endorsed the need for greater voluntarism and collective endeavour if the public sphere is to be maintained in the face of large-scale spending cuts. We will ask to what extent is the party really committed to this agenda?

Is Labour still too beholden of the idea of the state as the agent of change? Did the previous Labour government miss an opportunity to redesign the welfare state? And with the coalition talking about mutualism, civic renewal and participation what can Labour do to recapture this ground? How important is engagement seen as an end in itself to the Labour party and is it really ready to trust citizens and their choices?

Panel members include:

  • David Miliband MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary (Invited)
  • Ben Page, Chief executive, Ipsos MORI
  • Matthew Taylor, Chief executive, RSA
  • David Halpern, Director of research, Institute for Government
  • Tristram Hunt MP
  • Liz Kendall MP
  • Jonathan Lewis, Chief executive, The Social Investment Business

Conservative Party
Hidden wealth: Finding the Big Society in a deprived community 
5 October: 12.30pm – 2.00pm, The ICC, Hall 5

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The Conservatives in their election campaign made the promise that their public sector reform was designed to 'cut costs while improving standards'. This commitment was made against the landscape of David Cameron's plans for a "Big Society". A critical element of this is that people will be inspired to get together, volunteer or take part in other forms of social action to find ways of addressing local issues without relying on the state.   

This raises big questions, including whether this can work in deprived areas or places where people are reluctant to get involved in their communities. Is it possible to grant more power to local people without providing the funding and skills to help them implement their plans?

Does the Big Society risk serving marginal interests whether locally or nationally (the evidence suggests that people are more likely to participate with people 'like them'). What does the 'Big Society' mean for struggling communities in need of regeneration? What lessons can be learnt from places and communities that have come together and have trail-blazed this approach – who has been critical in catalysing change and how can this be sustained? What can communities achieve on their own and what help may be needed to overcome barriers to real empowerment and change?

Panel members include:

  • Polly Toynbee Guardian,
  • Francis Maude MP
  • Ben Page, Chief executive, Ipsos MORI
  • David Halpern, Director of research, Institute for Government
  • Matthew Taylor, Chief executive, RSA
  • Jonathan Lewis, Chief executive, The Social Investment Business