Conservative focus on social justice
Under David Cameron and the influence of the Social Policy Justice Group, the Conservatives have placed a greater focus on issues traditionally seen as the remit of the left, for example, social breakdown, social justice, poverty and the environment. They emphasise a moral response to social breakdown; stressing the importance of social responsibility and focusing on what they perceive as the root causes or ‘paths’ to poverty. The Conservatives are open about the value they see in small, grassroots, community and volunteer-led groups, as well as faith-based organisations in tackling these problems. They have recently published a Green Paper setting out their thinking on the VCS and its role in relation to social justice and public services within the context of shrinking an overlarge state, with the aim of encouraging a more conducive environment for organisations that struggle in an increasingly polarised sector.
What are the implications?
- More of a focus on issues that are at the heart of what the sector does but not always top political or public priorities such as poverty and the environment.
- The new focus on poverty may put it back on the agenda, creating an opportunity to tackle the increasing gap in inequality in the UK.
- An increase in numbers of volunteers and policies that encourage active citizenship and volunteering as the Conservatives try to create a culture of volunteering as a response to social breakdown, particularly amongst some groups.
- The Conservatives’ tough stance in response to tackling social breakdown and the importance of social responsibility is likely to continue to be their main approach to dealing with this.
- This approach may further exacerbate already deteriorating attitudes towards domestic poverty amongst the public and harden attitudes towards the welfare state.
- Labour and other political parties may have to increase their focus on issues of social justice if they do not want the Conservatives to dominate thinking in this area.
- The focus on small, grass-roots organisations may start to reverse the increasingly polarised sector where larger organisations have grown.
- This may mean it becomes difficult for organisations that are not the priority to achieve funding or get their voice heard.
- Faith groups, especially those which fit with Conservative values may flourish, whilst those who do not struggle.
Moving forward
The Conservative Green Paper sets out the Party’s thinking on the VCS and social justice, some of which is different to current Labour policy, and some of which is broadly similar.
- What implications would the proposals in the Paper have for your organisation if they became policy (for example, the emphasis on small, grassroots organisations)?
- Conversely, which proposals provide points of continuity for your organisation when planning?
The Green Paper also represents an opportunity to shape policy and practice in the newly increased number of Conservative-controlled local authorities.
- Where local practices diverge from the Green Paper, should your organisation consider using the Paper as an influencing tool?
The Conservatives are very clear about the tough and moral approach that they would take towards tackling social breakdown.
- How does this fit with your organisation’s mission and values?
- How could you go about influencing this agenda
Want to know more?
Published by:Social Justice Policy Group
Date:2006
Format:PDF
What is it? An interim report for the Conservative Party which describes what they see as the five multi-causal drivers or “paths” to poverty in Britain today, plus an 80 page paper on the potential of the VCS as its remedy.
How useful is this?
The report provides some detailed background to the Conservative focus on social justice and the context for their policy proposals put together from consultations, working groups and surveys. However, the Social Justice Policy Group was commissioned to make recommendations to the Conservatives so their thinking on some issues may differ. Each chapter covers a driver of poverty: economic dependence and worklessness; family breakdown; addiction; educational failure; indebtedness containing research on the extent of these factors. However, the research cited is used to back up their policy proposals. The last chapter on the VCS is useful in that sets out the Conservatives’ early thinking on the value of the VCS as a deliverer of services to tackle poverty and its relationship with the government.
Other comments:
This report was followed up by Breakthrough Britain (see below) and the Conservative Green Paper – ‘A stronger society; Voluntary action in the 21st Century’ provides more recent thinking and detail on their policy proposals.
Published by:Social Justice Policy Group
Date:2007
Format:PDF
What is it? The final report and policy solutions of the Social Justice Policy Group, submitted to the Conservative Party. The report contains 190 proposals to reverse social breakdown based on the research in Breakdown Britain.
How useful is this? The report contains five chapters each focusing on the “paths to poverty” identified in Breakdown Britain, setting out policy recommendations and objectives to deal with these as well as analysing problems with the current situation. There is also a final 80 page chapter on the Third Sector from the Third Sector working group which sets out policy recommendations on a variety of VCS policy areas such as capacity building, funding, the Compact and volunteering. The value and the role the Conservatives envisage for the VCS in achieving social justice for all is made clear throughout.
Other comments:
The Conservative Green Paper – ‘A stronger society; Voluntary action in the 21st Century’ provides more recent thinking and detail on the recommendations set out in Breakthrough Britain.
Conservative Green paper: ‘A stronger society; Voluntary action in the 21st Century’
Published by:The Conservative Party
Date:2008
Format:Web or PDF (34 KB)
What is it? A Green Paper which contains 20 policy pledges highlighting the key role the Conservatives see for the voluntary sector and ways of encouraging it as a force for tackling social justice.
How useful is this? This is the first in the way of formal policy statements from the Conservatives in relation to social justice, detailing how they plan to achieve some of the recommendations specified in Breakthrough Britain. The Paper clearly set outs the Conservatives’ thinking on the role and the value of the VCS in tackling social justice in the future; in particular focusing on encouraging the voluntarism, altruism, locality, independence and diversity of civil society. However, this is only a document for consultation and it remains to be seen which proposals will result in policy or legislation. The long timeframe for consultation also provides VCOs with plenty of time to try and influence the Paper.
Other comments:
David Cameron’s speech to launch the Paper provides a good summary of its aims and objectives.
There is no formal timeframe for the consultation so you can feed in to it at any time. NCVO have produced a briefing on this paper here, outlining some of the Paper’s proposals in a number of key areas and setting out their initial response. However, their briefing only covers seven areas of the paper where NCVO have policy interest. NCVO will be responding in detail to the consultation in the autumn on behalf of its members which you can feed in to.
We are the champions of progressive ideals
Published by:The Independent
Date:2008
Format:Web
What is it? An article by David Cameron explaining why he believes the Conservatives are the true party of social justice.
How useful is this? This article gives a good summary of Conservative policies on social justice, the reasons behind them and their objectives. Cameron argues that Labour’s top-down solutions have failed on poverty, social mobility, welfare, education, the economy and the environment, proposing that empowering individuals is the best solution. The article has been argued as one of the key point in the Conservatives move towards traditional Labour territory.
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