A new society
IF Gordon Brown's "bigot" gaffe was the most discussed moment of the General Election campaign, then David Cameron's vision of a Big Society may have been one of the least. Now, however, the new Prime Minister's dream of a wave of social projects could be realised – despite the swingeing cuts elsewhere.
If it is, and the coalition can use money in unclaimed bank accounts to help social enterprises, charities and community groups, then it could make an immense difference to people who are poor, infirm or elderly and alone. It would also go some way to showing the Conservatives are there for those in society who have the least, as well as the most.
This is important because the feeling persists that community spirit has faded away over the last two decades. If the Big Society reverses that trend then it would, after all, prove to be
a memorable and momentous idea.