Mending the broken society 12 January, 2008
Two weeks, two visits from David Cameron to Manchester. First to Stretford to make a landmark speech on the NHS, marking its 60th birthday and setting out the Conservative plan going forward. This week to Salford to set out his vision on the long term solution to inner city crime and the diminution of respect.
I have often mentioned that despite my youth over the last ten years I have been to too many press conferences, set piece speeches, sound bites etc. This was none of the sought, they where thoughtful, well prepared and in depth.
In the unlikely event under our electoral system the Conservatives do get a working overall majority next parliament, I am increasingly confident that unlike Tony Blair David Cameron will not waste it. Blair had the ideas the big “mo” and lacked the backbone to see it through.
The one common threat I detected running though his approach can be summed up with what JFK famously said “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”. We need a renewal in social activism and the redirection of respect away from the gum runner and drug dealer, back to the head teacher and police man. This won’t be accomplished by the state but can be led by it by empowering individuals and communities, by redressing the balance in favor of the third sector – the voluntary sector.
The fact that it will take a generation plus, we have to be both honest and realistic about, and use it as the imputes to redouble our efforts and not be disillusioned.
Shneur
