See article here, and below for RAPAR's position on the 'Big Society'.


Big Society – Where We Stand

This position has been developed through discussion and debate over time within RAPAR. We have also been listening carefully to some other voluntary sector organisations who are very concerned about this issue.

With all the discussion about the Big Society and what it means for the voluntary sector we at RAPAR feel it necessary to make this statement about where we stand as a voluntary organisation in Manchester.

Big Society - Big Cuts

The concept of Big Society is a foil – a cover up for cuts. Indeed, the very charities and voluntary organisations at the heart of the Big Society concept are in grave danger of falling first in the shrinking state. To show solidarity with the public sector RAPAR will follow the actions set out below:

• RAPAR will not take any contracts derived from job losses.
  
• RAPAR will be active in our commitment to sustaining safe and appropriate services.
  
• RAPAR will take no sub-contracting from the ‘for-profit’ sector.
  
• RAPAR will make a rigorous appraisal of prospective partners in projects to ensure that we are not, by proxy, participating in privatisation of the public sector by the back door.
  
• Having attended the inaugural conference for Right To Work that numbered 900 people and that took place in Manchester in Feb 2010, since which time RAPAR has had a standing delegate to the right to work committee, RAPAR remains supportive of the 'Right to Work for All’. The Right to Work is a Human Right.

Further, we belive that fighting the prejudice against immigrants to the UK must be incorporated into this debate. 
Immigration being used as a scapegoat for national woe has much historical precedent, from the Irish immigration in the 19th centruy to the 'Rivers of Blood' speech in 1968. 
Today, we see the government scapegoating the immigration system for the economic depression, most recently in David Cameron's speech criticising 'state multiculturalism'.  It is essential that the immigrant population, and those seeking asylum in this country, are not falsely attributed with the economic situation of this country, and we urge that the debate on economic depression is aimed at the correct sources.

If you feel as strongly as we do about safeguarding our services and ensuring that our friends in the public sector see us as allies rather than opposition waiting in the wings to pick up contracts, please fell free to get in touch with us so we can unite against ‘Big Cuts’.

Collective action against the brutal consequences of the Big Society:

• March Againt the Cuts! 5th March, All Saints Park, Oxford Rd, Manchester, 12.30pm
• March for the Alternative! 26th March, London

If you would like to attend either of these events, or require information on them, please get in touch via our website

Photographs from the Iranian demonstration in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester on Sat 12th February, inspired by the revolutionary events in Egypt and Tunisia.