alfrombarking

Looks like Cameron is taking the piss.

For those who don't know its on the idea that things previously run by the Government will now be dependent upon volunteer labour. So, question is how many of the Tory bigwigs (& wives, husbands, sons, daughters etc etc) have put their names down to volunteer in various organizations? I guess none.

Last week five ‘internships’ at City banks were auctioned to wealthy Conservative-supporting parents for their children, with the £14,000 raised, going to Tory fund.

I think Dave and his friends are bound to fail and this is what you get when you have two upperclass nincompoops running the country who have never held down a proper job in their lives. And before Labour get too smug, they took 13 years to do it, but they have well and truly ruined the finances of the country this time round. Living in denial just isn't going to work.

This is Big Society is more like Sick Society!

co durham boy

The country is run by the elite few that spans the full political spectrum......Same Public schools , Same Tailors , Same winter ski resort , same Tuscan Villas and same horsey faced looking women....

Autonomy

Sarah Jessica Parker walks in to a bar and the barman asks "Why the long face...?"

Charismatic

My local MP in the UK (who was a Tory) used to serve on several local community boards and did so long after he had retired. He also helped in fund raising for local causes and used his interview with local media to highlight council work (Environment, listed buildings etc.).

I agree it’ll fail but it’s not the wealthy and educated who will have failed in their duty to society (indeed many already have roles in helping their local area). It’ll be the working and lower class people too busy watching TV or drinking themselves into an early grave that will fail to turn out IMO.

alfrombarking

These suggestions are completely unrealistic and show an utter disconnect from the way the vast majority of people in the UK live. Call me Dave must think the majority of households are comfortably off upper middle-class toffs like himself who have spare time and spare time and invite their friendly neighbours over for dinner.

In reality the UK average household debt is over 8K. Most people work stressful jobs and get home tired, needing rest. On their weekends, the last thing they want to do is more work - voluntary or not.

It's just completely unrealistic. People are already struggling to pay the bills and day to day life is getting more difficult as social services are cut. How the hell are people expected to be able to engage in the community under these conditions?

Bahtatboy

In times of crisis or great difficulty people do pull together. Maybe we need another war.

Charismatic

That would be true if it where the situation, but I suspect most of them are actual just regular poverts. Just meandering through life without any aim. Too lazy and afraid of striking out to strike out of their lives. Doing the very minimum to meet societies expectations, never changing their own expectations.

alfrombarking

Only 8% of coalition MPs actively back "big society" by volunteering
http://www.the-big-society.co.uk/

Ethos83

Well, what do YOU want to do, Al? What is YOUR solution to the crisis facing Britain? How are YOU going to go about implementing it? Are YOU going to stand for Parliament? Are YOU going to start volunteering at the local social organisations? If not, why?

Kindly note the emphasis on YOU.

Sitting around and whinging on an internet forum doesn't help Britain. I don't always agree with David Cameron but we are in a position where after 13 years of Labour rule the country is facing dire economic straights due to the massive growth in spending and debt. Something has to be done, and I appreciate Cameron's initiative to do something about it. There's no question risks are being taken and it's a gamble as to where we will end up in a few years, but the alternative - I can see the reasoning behind Brown's and Labour's solution of higher taxes and higher spending as a means to get the economy on its feet but I'm also mindful that higher spending got us into this problem in the first place and only threatens to make it worse, and not to mention that despite the 1995-2005 boom and exploding government coffers, Labour still managed to outspend in every possible way imaginable.

Meow

I have to agree with Ethos83's first paragraph. It seems that these days everything is always someone else's fault and no one wants to step up and take responsibility. So many people expect everything to be provided for them.

If you don't like something then it will only change by individuals getting off their backsides and doing something about it. People like to moan, but that is usually as far as it goes.

I think Cameron's suggestions are (sadly) idealistic as the majority of the UK population wouldn't dream of giving up just a couple of hours a week to help others. I don't believe that the majority of people don't have a spare few hours. perhaps they could tear themselves away from Eastenders or X-factor or whatever crap they believe is important to watch?

Whilst some debt may be a necessity for some households, I firmly believe that many others could avoid it by spending wisely. A huge TV, branded clothes and a holiday are not essentials to life - shock, horror! They are luxuries and the sooner people realise that and save up for such things before getting themselves into unneccessary debt the better. (And the same goes for many people here.)

Fact is there is not the money to pay for all the services that people want and no one wants to pay higher taxes. (Wastage by local authorities and central government etc does need tackling, but that isn't an instant solution.) If the people of Britain want the situation to improve, then many are going to have to get involved.

Charismatic

Now I make it Pimm’s O’Clock.

MacScot

Cameron's "Big Society" describes what already exists in Scotland's third sector. Sounds like a cover for more cuts, which may affect the active volunteer sector and public services run by charities north of the border.

Perhaps he is trying to strengthen England's weak third sector.

alfrombarking

You are asking for solution?

If Cameron is so keen on this Big Society idea why doesn't he volunteer to be PM? We could let him keep his (carefully monitored)expenses out of kindness. Seeing as how 23 of the 29 cabinet members are millionaires they too could become volunteer ministers (again, given expenses) It's not as if they'd go without food is it?

We also could do away with that $ 1.6billion we give to India..I mean this is a country that can afford huge defence budgets, a space programme and has economic growth at a rate we have never seen then there is no longer a rational argument.

The main problem with Cameron's Big Society, despite its rhetoric and PR, is that it is a top down initiative, developed by a few wealthy and powerful people who have little understanding of social action.

kittycat1

Al, You seem very negative my dear. Why should Cameron do his job for free- he does it fulll time, what he is asking is for people to give a few hours a week to society, time you can spare- he's not saying quit your job. Personally I think its about bloody time! I always thought lollipop ladies where volunteer jobs anyway. I actually think benefits should be linked to community service, if you are out of work you give back to society and if you in work then 2 hours a week isn't exactly going to kill you- how much time do we waste every week? The TA and red cross are all volunteers, people that work in charity shops are generally volunteers, people shaking cans collecting money on the high street are volunteers. All he is asking is for everyone else to get off their backsides and help. Desperate times mean desperate measures. Obviously, cutting jobs and replacing those workers with volunteers is unethical however they have to make cuts somewhere.

There is no easy answer to sort the country out- I would suggest stopping big blue chip companies/banks from making any profit for the next year and invest the money back into the people by sponsoring libraries, pools etc.

lionheart

I have not done any research on the subject and still have little idea what the Big Society means but surely, if volunteerrs are needed, the unemployed and those living on benefits should be the first in line. After all, they generally have more spare time. Also, students (and teachers) during the summer break could probably do more for the community.