Martin Bright

The Cabinet should show its Big Society credentials

As we prepare for the Big Society to mop up where the Big State used to be and ministers call for a culture of philanthropy to replace the hand out culture, I have a suggestion for the millionaire axe men of the Coalition government. 

After the Comprehensive Spending Review, David Cameron should order each government minister to publish details of his or her charitable giving and the number of days a year they spend on voluntary work.

This, after all, is what they are demanding of the rest of us. The richer members of  society will now be expected to underwrite the arts and the charitable sector, while the rest of us volunteer to take on the functions of the public sector. 

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