Syed Kamall: 'Big society' is antidote to big state

Syed Kamall, Conservative MEP for London, said in response to the prime minister's speech on the 'big society':

"The 'big society' is more than a support network with a new CEO, more than some deregulatory initiatives to make volunteering easier, more than industrial democracy in the delivery of local public services. It is the antidote to the 'big state', and it is only just starting to gain momentum. I expect to see dozens more 'big society' measures coming from this coalition government in the years to come.

"Many of the left say it is vague but that is because they cannot see beyond the State as funder, enabler and deliverer of services.

"The 'big society' concept is different: it is a project which will take years of initiatives from government, voluntary and private sectors to put in place. The government must try to get out of areas where its involvement is counterproductive, and lay out some mechanisms for people to play their part in creating a bigger better society."

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