Saturday, 12 February 2011

Leaders Clash On Plans For Big Society


I must say if at first you don't succeeed try and try again. When my friends tweeted, sent me messages on facebook and left messages on my voicemail I return all calls to them to say "I make Up My own Mind If and When I feel that Ed Miliband Did Okay I will praise Him When He Gets It Wrong We Have A right To Critise Him For Not Leading The Labour Party"

After a series of setbanks for the policy, Mr Miliband asked the Prime Minister: "How is your Big Society going?"

Mr Cameron claimed all MPs backed his idea of devolving power to councils and communities.

He said: "I believe probably every single member of this House of Commons spends time in their own constituency encouraging volunteering, encouraging philanthropic giving and wanting people to play a bigger part in a bigger society."

The Labour leader responded: "We all support thriving communities and that's why there is such concern for charities up and down the country."

He quoted Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, who is stepping down as head of Britain's Community Service Volunteers (CSV), after warning the Prime Minister his policies were "destroying the volunteer army".

David Cameron Defends His Big Society

The Prime Minister defended his policy on the Big Society

Mr Cameron said he did not agree with Dame Elisabeth, adding: "We are putting £470m across this spending review into charities and voluntary bodies."

The Prime Minister then went on to announce a boost for his Big Society agenda as part of the deal agreed by the Government and the banks.

He told MPs the Big Society bank will take £200m from the four major banks to invest in the voluntary sector.

Mr Cameron said Labour "put money into the banks, we are taking money out of the banks and putting it in to the Big Society".

But Mr Miliband said the Prime Minister's cuts were threatening his flagship policy.

He said Mr Cameron was "cutting too far and too fast and society is becoming smaller and weaker, not bigger and stronger".