Big Society
Public health aspirations undermined by wider coalition policies
Should a stark example of the impact of inequality be needed, look at health status and life expectancy. If everyone over 30 without a degree had their death rate reduced to that of people with degrees, there would be over 200,000 fewer premature deaths each year. This finding, in last year’s Marmot review of health inequalities, illustrated the report’s core message: “Inequalities are a matter of life and death, of health and sickness, of well-being and misery.”
A defence of the Future Jobs Fund: Where now for the young employed?
Dan Smith highlights the impacts of the Future Jobs Fund in Brighton and Hove, arguing it has proved cost effective, helping long-term claimants off benefits.
No faith in Cameron’s ‘Big Society’
What is the government's version of a ‘Big Society’ all about? According to a strong statement from a new Christian network called Common Wealth – in which I should straight away declare my interest as a supporter – it’s an ideological con trick aimed at co-opting civil society groups (including churches and charities) into the Conservative/Lib Dem agenda to shrink the responsibilities of government so that the poorest get to pay for an economic mess created by the wealthy.
Balls: Big Society is surefire route to a weaker society
Shadow home secretary Ed Balls today attacked the David Cameron's "Big Society" policy agenda, labelling it a "big con" leading to public services being run by volunteers on the cheap and a significant deterioration in crime prevention.
The new austerity of the Big Society
The Big Society is the social policy that makes the economic policy of deficit reduction possible. The government could not have taken its axe to the public sector with such ruthless confidence without a story to tell about what will fill the gaps left by a retreating state. The Big Society is that story.
Giving schools the freedom to shape the Big or Good society
Schools are going to have to pay for a lot of support, training and consultancy they currently receive ‘for free’ from local authorities. If they want such services in the future, the only way they will get them is by paying less for teachers, teaching assistants and materials.