William Eichler 09 January 2017

Whitehall will tackle ‘injustice’ and build a ‘shared society’, PM says

The Government will take an active role in tackling ‘everyday injustices’ and building a ‘shared society’, says the prime minister.

In a speech to the Charity Commission today, Theresa May said she is determined to build a shared society based on the values of citizenship, responsibility and fairness.

She warned that ‘obvious injustices’ receive a lot of attention, but the ‘everyday injustices’ often go unnoticed - especially by politicians.

‘If you’re from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise,’ Ms May said.

‘And at the same time, all too often in the past people have felt locked out of the political and social discourse in Britain.’

The prime minister told the commission it is important to ‘overcome division and bring our country together’.

‘That’s why I believe that - when we consider both the obvious and the everyday injustices in unison - we see that the central challenge of our times is to overcome division and bring our country together,’ said Ms May.

‘And that starts by building something that I call the shared society.’

Defining her post-Brexit version of David Cameron’s ‘big society’, Theresa May said: ‘The shared society is one that doesn’t just value our individual rights but focuses rather more on the responsibilities we have to one another.

‘It’s a society that respects the bonds that we share as a union of people and nations.

‘The bonds of family, community, citizenship, strong institutions. And it’s a society that recognises the obligations we have as citizens – obligations that make our society work.’

The prime minister rejected the ‘laissez-faire liberalism’ of past administrations and said her Government would be more pro-active in addressing injustice.

‘Because people who are just managing, just getting by don’t need a Government that will get out of the way, they need a government that will make the system work for them,’ she concluded.

Making payment processes smarter  image

Making payment processes smarter

It can be challenging to find the right software to streamline payment processes. Lewis McKenna-Crisp argues SmarterPay has the ideal solution for councils.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Director of Public Health

Royal Borough of Greenwich
Up to £131,210
The Public Health department is at the heart of the council’s business. Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Head of Regeneration and Growth

Plymouth City Council
£68,387 - £74,411 (MFS and relocation available, pay award pending)
This is a unique opportunity to lead our award-winning development team and directly deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of projects. Plymouth, Devon
Recuriter: Plymouth City Council

Director of Adult Social Care

Wiltshire Council
£119,390 - £127,137
Join us as the Director of Adult Social Care and make a real difference to people’s lives. Wiltshire
Recuriter: Wiltshire Council

Assistant Director Planning, Performance & Engagement

East Sussex County Council
up to £97,700
With strong local communities, unspoilt countryside and vibrant coastal towns, East Sussex offers an exceptional quality of life to many. East Sussex
Recuriter: East Sussex County Council

Director of Finance & Commerce

Lancashire County Council
Up to £114,339
You will play a critical role in driving the organisation through complex change and innovation. Lancashire
Recuriter: Lancashire County Council
Linkedin Banner