Let the Third Sector take the lead in public life, Charities Parliament hears

Panellists from journalism, politics and the church had an open debate with a lively audience about the current state of politicians' morals, practical steps to renew public life and where the UK’s new leaders would emerge from.

Ruth Gledhill led the charge, observing that "a revolution in the UK is 100 years overdue". While acknowledging that change for the sake of change in Westminster misses the point, the Times columnist was convinced that the expenses scandal presented an opportunity for change and an “open door for lots of fresh air to come in and to revolutionise elements of the [parliamentary] system that need really deep seated change”.

David Landrum thought that systems of the last century had failed and it was time the Third Sector had a go.

"After the war, we tried the public sector and that failed us. Later we tried the commercial sector and that is failing us. The third sector should now become the first sector," he said.

Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali agreed. The UK, he said, must look to the Third Sector "because it is where we find values and moral character". He agreed with Gledhill on the new faces and appealed to her colleagues to facilitate this: "The press can help by giving more access to the Third Sector."

Bishop Nazir-Ali went on to decry as "dangerous to civilization" the current lack of leaders with any character. He spoke of a need to "put character and the values of responsibility, trust and hard work, back into schools, family and life". Adding that if "a catharsis of the national mind and spirit" doesn’t happen, the Telegraph investigation will have been a waste of time.

Solutions were offered from the audience, which was largely in favour of the Daily Telegraph’s decision to publish information on MPs’ expenses, despite knowing that the information, as Times Journalist Ruth Gledhill pointed out, had been stolen.

Audience members suggested that people stand as parish councillors, sit on the governing bodies of schools and stake committees in local communities, whether or not expenses were covered.

"We as a church community should encourage more of our members to be involved. We should at the very least vote," one member of the audience suggested.

Others thought that opportunities for discourse like the Charities Parliament were already offering a new face and helping politics to become real for the ‘man on the street’.

Andy Reed MP identified the professionalisation of politics as an underlying issue for UK politics. “Politics and career should never be in the same sentence. It is a calling,” he said.

Alistair Burt MP, when asked if he is expecting a different kind of parliament next time round, said, "not really" and that "few new candidates will generate a response from the public like Martin Bell".

Steve Chalke, Founder of Charities Parliament and Chair of the debate said after the event: ‘There was a high level of debate and interaction between the panel and the audience. People said they were excited that they’d had a chance to listen to the views articulated at a deeper level than they’d normally find in the newspapers and in the media and that they’d had a chance to ask their questions and express their point of view ... I think the debate will go on."

On the web:
To listen to recordings of all Charities Parliament events and to join in the debates, visit: www.faithworks.info/charitiesparliament