David Cameron continues to cause confusion in the Tory ranks by using a word which has historically failed to register with many Tories - 'society'.
After years of being coached by headmistress Thatcher that there was no such thing as the elusive 'S' word, now 'society' features prominently in Cameron's rhetoric. So what is this Big Society he keeps talking about?
We at Sunday Supper are not sure either, so we created our own interpretation of it. This definition is probably not too far off, so hopefully it will help those Tories who need the Big Society explained to them.
It is Tory tradition to cut, cut and cut public services. Their proposed cuts may be less extreme if it was not for the global financial crisis and the behaviour of banks. However it is fair to assume that they would have perceived much Labour spending to be "wasteful" anyway and thus taken remedial action.
The Tories have always loved to preside over a state that has a strong backbone but not bloated. They have never been good at welfare - the public are by and large left to get on with it as one by one services are taken away. The exception is the drive towards more bin collections, a public service that has always warmed Tory hearts.
The problem for the Tories is that their dated ideology needs to be communicated to a public which no longer believes in the 1980s 'greed is good' discourse, where individualism reigns supreme.
This is the age of the ethically conscious, where wealth is envied and treated with contempt. Recycling is a principle which flows through the centre ground. If people see something immoral on the television they are online complaining to Ofcom quicker than you can say "Russell Brand".
This is where the Big Society comes in. While services are being retracted, the idea is the public should get involved in helping communities instead, preferably for free. Cuts in elderly care? No worries, the neighbours can cook a meal for the old dears... hopefully. No rubbish collectors anymore? No problem - the locals can 'muck in' and keep things tidy.
The implementation of it all may be difficult for Tories to comprehend, as society working together is an off-centre concept to them, but they should fear not. From this definition, it is not that far removed from the old Tory line. In 1981, when the purse is closed you are on your own. In 2011, when the purse is closed you are still on your own. The only difference is in that 2011 the public are expected to commiserate together.
