What a pleasure it was. Last night, I spent forty minutes in Westminster Great Hall
– one of London’s few remaining Romanesque buildings, the largest single vaulted wooden ceiling in the world and the judicial setting for the trial of Charles I. Why was I there?
Another failure of the big society, of course.
I had booked to attend a debate between the think tanks, Res Publica and Progress. Phillip Blond and Francis Maude were talking up the merits of the Big Society or big society (it wasn’t clear which); whilst Tessa Jowell and Stephen Twigg were speaking for the Good Society.
I wanted to hear the debate, intrigued to see if any of the speakers could define its terms. Trouble was that I wasn’t alone. A big society of likeminded people congregated outside the Grand Committee Room, which lies off the Great Hall, at the appointed time.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in