Chopper's Politics: The government should enable local communities to 'take back control'
The MP behind a report into sustaining the recent surge in community spirit, says the same feeling that saw the public vote for Brexit is what could bring in a new era of local and community run volunteering initiatives.
Danny Kruger told the Chopper Politics podcast , which you can listen to on the audio player above: "The idea of trust in society... in real human beings, not bureaucrats in Whitehall, is the right one."
"My view is that this was what was behind Brexit. People want control and agency and belonging, and a sense of connection to the place they live in. And the rejection of the EU was a sort of emanation of this distrust of remote power."
"My political hope is that the government goes beyond taking back control from Brussels to London or to Westminster, and goes the whole hog and enables local communities to take back control. We can see real, real empowerment that way."
The MP for Devizes went on to say that there shouldn't be conflict between what society and government should be doing for those in need, saying "they both need to play their part".
On the free school meals campaign headed by Marcus Rashford, Mr Kruger said he deeply regrets that the government looked "flatfooted" on the issue when they had their own plans, but does credit the footballer for kickstarting "an amazing response, more of what I've been describing, which is community stepping up."
He added "I don't regret that they did that and I don't think it was the government's job to do everything."
Danny Kruger is joined on this week's episode of Chopper's Politics by former spads Polly Mackenzie and James Starkie, and author and Thought of the Day regular, Rhidian Brook.
Listen to The Telegraph's weekly political podcast, Chopper's Politics, presented by Chief Political Correspondent Christopher Hope, on the audio player at the top of this article, and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
