UK: Tony Blair leaves Downing Street

The Prime Minister?s glass was still full when Condoleeza Rice?s call rushed him to his private office, but there had been time for a toast: ?There is still much that the Third sector can do in this country? oh, and thanks for the many job offers that I have received from the field?.

Number 10 Downing Street, 5th of June 2007: a date to be remembered both as an anniversary, Acevo?s 20th, and as a goodbye, to the Prime Minister Tony Blair. Raised glasses honour the two terms in which the English government and civil society worked together establishing, says Acevo?s Stephen Bubb, ?a unique relationship. Never in all of history nor in any part of the world has the non-profit sector had the freedom to influence a Prime Minister, and criticise him, as much as we have with Blair?.

?Even on the war with Iraq?? is the obvious question that springs to mind when talking to the organisation?s top man, considering that Acevo brings together more than 2000 leaders of England?s powerful third sector ? ?Not as Acevo, but certainly as individual non profit organisations? he answers.

It was, in any case, an Acevo man and one of Bubb?s closest collaborators that the government turned to to draw out the charity law reform wanted by Blair to modernise a 400 year old law; bringing the non-profit world up to date with the new times governed by social enterprise and not welfare.

It is thanks to the campaigning and lobbying of third sector leaders that ?the exiting Prime Minister has been able to demonstrate his devotion to and sound knowledge of the third sector?. Mr Bubb believes that stars like Bono Vox and Bob Geldof ?work well as a means of attracting attention to uncomfortable realities and raising funds. But to really change policy it is the government that must be targeted?.

One office in particular lies at the heart of this issue: the Office for the third sector. It?s creation was strongly supported by Acevo and today regulates the relationship between the government and civil society and promotes non-profit involvement in policy making, from environmental issues to education.

One example where the Office for the Third sector has had an impact? Bubb only uses one word to answer this question: devolution. In other words horizontal subsidiarity, endorsed by the Prime Minister in the public services reform and with a specific action plan, that has meant that 80% of social housing services and 60% of social assistance services are now managed by non-profit organisations. ?We aim to reach these percentages in health care soon as well as in the field of unemployment and the re-inclusion of prisoners? said Acevo?s CEO ?Tony Blair was very clear about this point. His exact words were: in the past it was believed that the government wanted to use volunteer work to do away with unwanted responsibility, but now it is common understanding that the best solution is not always a centralised, strongly bureaucratic one. Especially when there is a volunteering sector is out there with the skills and creativity needed to take on these important services?.

What will happen after the change over from Blair to Gordon Brown, especially to the Commission for Africa that was so wanted by the exiting Premier and yet seems to be the last of a long line of good actions destined to fail because of lack of funds? ?Our role is to push the government to always take a longer step forwards, in the case of the Commission for Africa though, the Prime Minister was not supported by other rich countries?.

Acevo has already given Dowing Street?s newest tenant a list of the10 most urgent commitments that should be carried out in the first 100 days of the new government. From the development of the social enterprise to the support for a culture of giving that is backed up by tax incentives. ?We want Gordon Brown to launch a new kind of politics, one that sees the Third sector as the government?s, equal, partner?.

More Info:

• www.acevo.org.uk
• www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk