Part II — Notes and ideas from the ECR Global Poverty Summit and other paces
Just before New Year I lamented in an article on MEDIUM how the Conservative party had ceded ground to the British left on issues of social justice and tackling poverty. My sense was that Jeremy Corbyn had won the battle for who could appear more compassionate (without actually adopting policies that have proved to better people’s life chances). My response was that this does not have to be the case — the Tory party has a long history of social reform that we can be proud of and we should do more to celebrate.
While rhetoric on and passion for social justice is important, it is also essential that we develop new ideas that back it up. Ideas were the foundation of the Conservative’s success in the coalition years — free schools (now the highest performing school type in the country), Universal Credit, tax reform and the modern Slavery Act were all thought up outside of the party and Government well before Government undertook them. Ideas are therefore desperately needed to ensure Conservatism continues to mean more than ‘prudence with the public finances and strong on security’.
A great collection of new ideas were included in discussions at the ECR Global Poverty Summit in London ghosted by Conservative MEP Syed Kamal. In a discussion with representatives from the US, Brazil, and the UK, recurrent themes kept hitting home when discussing non-state strategies for tackling poverty — community driven programmes are most likely to ensure greater buy-in among at risk youth, soft-skills are essential to develop (these soft skills include communication as well as empathy and compassion for other characters), and finally the recognition that tackling non-financial dynamics of poverty (whether that is mental health problems, low levels of educational attainment, homelessness, gang related activity or a lack of confidence and esteem, prevalent in young people) were key to changing someone’s life around.
The importance of third sector and community groups are the most reasonable agents for change in this regard. Panellist Danny Kruger from Legatum Institute commented on the importance that charities and third sector organisations professionalize, both in terms of fund raising and programme development. The Centre for Social Justice has long been an advocate of third sector organisations in their ability to deliver change at a local level. In an age of tighter government funding, it is a reality that private or philanthropic finance picks up the slack. One of the most interesting avenues that could see improved growth in third sector capacity is the increasing size of the social investment industry. Led by organisations like Big Society Capital, and the diversification of traditional fund managers like the Cheyne Social Property Impact Fund, are allowing private capital to be directed towards social causes. There needs to be greater encouragement of these schemes, and a greater shift in the culture of investment towards them. Lastly Social Impact Bonds haven’t grown in size of scope as many had hoped — this needs to be addressed.
The other opportunity to develop policy ideas for a conservative party rooted in social reform and justice was at the Resolution Foundation this week. David Willets hosted Nick Timothy, Rachel Wolf, Tom Tugendhat, Jonny Mercer and Katy Balls in a discussion entitled New Year, New Politics: A Conservative programme for economic and social renewal. Willets and Timothy agreed that a more activist government was necessary in an age when people are losing sight of what conservatives offer. Others wanted the conservatives to focus more on boosting home ownership, improving savings rates, developing a more contribution based welfare system and investing in greater vocational education provision. There was unanimity though that conservatism as a vehicle for opportunity for the most disadvantaged. Jonny Mercer reminded the crowd that the Conservatives needed to boost their retail offer — more housing, increased financial support for skills, better access to health and social care.
All these ideas are fantastic, in my opinion though, Mercer hits the spot. The British are traditionally compassionate people who vote according to what a Government offers the most disadvantaged in terms of opportunity and empowerment. Labour often nail the retail offer because they habitually offer more spending in areas like welfare, schools, the NHS. In reality their plans are not rooted in opportunity and do more to entrench disadvantage. The Conservatives, trusted for their financial stewardship, have to charm voters with their plans for renewal in British society and the economy, without opening the coffers too widely.
What might this mean — a new system of adult skills funding (a new learner account) that relies on contributions from employers (like workplace pensions), an expansion of the free school programme (using private/philanthropic finance like the organisations) to ensure more school places in social mobility cold-spots, more money for urban regeneration (paid for by removing some of the myriad of confusing subsidy programmes that exist in the industrial sector), a house building revolution that is financed through a much more powerful Social Impact Bond programme. Any of these ideas, properly formulated, could be the backbone of a Tory manifesto.
New ideas will drive election results as much as rhetoric and local activism. Lets hope that all these three things — policies, narrative, people power — come together before the next election.
