Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Nadhim Zahawi Excerpts
Wednesday 8th February 2012

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)
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The shadow spokesman on London and the Olympics said that the big society “should be Labour territory”. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that the whole point of the big society is that it is not just for Labour but for everyone?

Oliver Letwin Portrait Mr Letwin
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Yes, I thoroughly agree with my hon. Friend, and I should like to pray in aid the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Tristram Hunt), who said that the big society is

“something that the Labour party should instinctively understand as part of its own DNA”.

The former Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for South Shields (David Miliband), told the Labour party:

“We shouldn’t be afraid of the Big Society; we should claim it for our own”.

I hope this can bring the whole House together.