UK: Nick Aldridge, of Acevo, comments David Cameron’ speech on poverty

In his Scarman Lecture last week, David Cameron, leader of the British Conservative Party, placed the third sector at the centre of the party?s agenda to tackle poverty. He pledged to empower social entrepreneurs, backed by more ?open and trusting? public finance, to address the structural causes of poverty. Mr Cameron?s speech was widely reported in the British media for its recognition of the concept of ?relative poverty?. He argued that the Conservatives should abandon their abiding image of the welfare state as a safety net, which defines a lower limit of welfare below which no one should fall. Instead, he suggested, we should think of society as a caravan travelling through the desert. Though some may speed ahead, we should ensure that the gaps between people do not become too great, or we risk ceasing to be a coherent single society. Mr Cameron singled out the Government?s tax credits for particular criticism, claiming that they create perverse incentives and place people in a ?benefits trap? that can thwart ambition. But the emphasis he placed on ?social entrepreneurs? in solving social problems will have struck a chord with the British third sector. Craig Dearden-Phillips, CEO of Speaking Up and a leading social entrepreneur, remarked, ?I have a strong feeling that Cameron?s Tories will be the most explicit about the future of social entrepreneurs. A centrist Conservative Party with a commitment to a reasonable level of social spending and a hawk-like eye for bureaucracy and waste is a proposition which social entrepreneurs should be taking seriously.? In general, acevo members will welcome Mr Cameron?s vision of a confident and entrepreneurial third sector, given new and powers and freedoms to tackle the root causes of poverty. Third sector organisations already deliver some of the UK?s most effective work in helping people to improve their lives. Given extra responsibility, they could achieve much more. Sadly, in public spending, the need for safety, predictability and accountability usually trumps any possibility of radical solutions and innovative thinking. Cameron?s Conservatives may struggle to persuade public bodies on tight budgets to take greater risks, then suffer the inevitable public condemnation when things go wrong. The Labour government, which has voiced similar objectives to Mr Cameron, has struggled to secure their implementation, particularly at local level. Central government has struggled to influence local government effectively, employing a complex mixture of imposed duties, best practice guidance and simple exhortation. A comprehensive Government action plan, expected in early December, will set out new proposals for enabling the sector to take on a bigger role in public service delivery. No doubt Mr Cameron, as well as acevo, will be paying close attention.