As the coalition government officially launched its Big Society agenda at a speech in Liverpool today, Charities Aid Foundation chief executive John Low advised that it would be a “mistake to switch off to (the) Labour Party”.

Whilst acknowledging the weight of the Big Society plans as well as the appointments of Nick Hurd as minister for Civil Society and Nat Wei as the government advisor on the Big Society, Low (pictured) told Civil Society that while the Labour Party is undergoing a "period of reflection" its MPs are well placed to air the interests of charities and charitable causes using the "freedom of opposition".  

"Now is a time to forge new alliances and partnerships with MPs from across all parties," he said.

“It’s entirely undestandable that the sector’s attention is largely focused on the new government at present. However, it is important that we do not take our eyes completely off the opposition and neglect the opportunities that exist for the sector in the form of parliamentarians newly liberated from the responsibilities and constraints of government.

“Lobbying opposition parties can be an extremely effective way of raising issues of vital importance to the sector (and more importantly our beneficaries) and bringing about positive social change.”

Low noted that there has been a “significant influx” of newly elected MPs with a background in the sector and that the greatest proportion of these are within the Labour Party.
 
David Cameron launched his eagerly awaited Big Society plan today at a speech in Liverpool where he also announced that the formation of a Big Society Bank would go ahead using “every penny of dormant bank and building society account money allocated to England”. The funds, taken from accounts unused for over 15 years, will be used to help fund schemes in the voluntary sector.