Red Tory think tank launch unveils vision for sector

Right wing thinker Phillip Blond has launched his new think tank ResPublica, widely tipped to become the inspiration for the Tory approach to social enterprise.

Conservative leader David Cameron introduced the standing room only event, quipping that it was the best attended think tank launch he had ever seen. He welcomed the work that ResPublica would be doing around how best to encourage social enterprises into the public sector.

'How you encourage new institutions like social enterprises and voluntary bodies into public services is part of what I know you will be doing,' said Cameron.

While he warned he would not agree with all of Blond's ideas, he said: 'Progressive goals through conservative means is a really strong mantra for the changes we need in Britain.

'We look forward to engaging with you and your research teams and I hope we can crack some of the big problems we face with some fresh and radical thinking which I know you will be doing.'

Speaking directly after Cameron, Blond spoke of the need for a 'moralised market' and empowering 'civil associations' to look after the needs of local communities.

In one of his few concrete proposals, he suggested that local communities should be given the power to audit public spending for their area. Where those communities then saw that public services were failing they would take commissioning into their own hands or form mutual associations to deliver the services themselves.

Steve Wyler, national director of the Development Trusts Association, said: 'This is a huge opportunity for community-based social enterprise.

'The issue around local budgets is consistent with discussions we've been having with him. The idea of creating more self-directing communities through mutual and civil associations is one we profoundly agree with.

'Putting this all into practice is, of course, the big challenge, but it's great to have people, whether on the right or the left, who are thinking seriously about these areas.'

Outgoing Social Enterprise Coalition CEO Jonathan Bland welcomed Cameron's specific reference to social enterprises.

Bland said: 'It was good to hear David Cameron spell out the role social enterprises will play in service delivery.

'Blond's thinking goes even further linking the role of businesses and markets, with citizens being empowered to do things in radically different ways.'

Blond advocated less government regulation of markets and instead building up trust in new moral businesses with a new business ethos. He said that shame would play the role of regulation.

However, responding to a Social Enterprise question about the need for triple bottom line reporting and social accounting, Blond said: 'We do need a new matrix to assess what good and bad behaviour and a richer way to integrate the tax system and corporate behaviour so we recognise good behaviour and penalise bad. And that's very much part of the vision.'

To read Blond's speech click here