Power to the People – Should localism be the core of the 2015 manifesto?
Author: Localis |
Localis was pleased to host this panel speaking event at the Conservative Party Conference on Tuesday, the 1st of October.
With speakers:
Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Cities Minister and Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Cllr Sir Merrick Cockell, Chairman of the Local Government Association
Cllr Richard Cornelius, Leader of the London Borough of Barnet
An evening of debate about the future of party politics turned on the centrality of localism, with all speakers providing strong arguments for being key to winning the next election.
Cllr Sir Merrick Cockell opened with rhetoric focusing on local government’s track record in effectiveness, efficiency and popularity in a period of unprecedented funding cut backs. He said, quite frankly, “Local government has endured a lot of pain” in order to deliver public services against a tide of receding funding. Local government’s endurance to the cause has been tested because it takes years to see the benefit of difficult decisions, all the while relying on “political drive and will like you have never experienced”. Greater localism in the next manifesto would include policies which give local government the power to negotiate full term settlements and respond to the “England question” by expanding the scope of City Deals. To a receptive audience he argued “as a party, we deserve payback on this” and developing the slogan for this year’s conference he implied that Conservatives had to be “for hardworking people” in local government too.
Councillor Richard Cornelius argued in favour of making localism the centre of the next manifesto by highlighting the similarities it shares with the central tenants of conservatism- namely, small government, micro approaches and the autonomy of local communities. Councillor Cornelius observed that the future trend of governance favoured this approach because “as the state withdraws from things, these community groups will need to step up”. He pushed for greater financial power for councils in setting business rates, especially for those within greater London.
Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister for Cities, provided an important economic perspective and argument in favour of putting localism on the national agenda, by arguing that “the global race is between places as well as nations”. The places which are most successful have certain characteristics, afforded to them by greater localism, such as excellent leadership, an ability to respond and adapt to competition as well as focusing on their unique selling points. Cities and counties have to compete globally with other places for business, and if a re-orientation of the British economy is a priority of the Conservative party, then localism should be too.
The hashtag for this event was: #localispower