A co-operative future

By Mike Buckley and Jane Thomas

It is something of an understatement to say that the last year has been one of political upheavals. The Scottish referendum, the general election, Labour’s leadership contest, and with the arrival of the EU referendum campaign they just keep coming. Amidst all the politics we still face huge challenges as a country, and some of these challenges are taking us into new, unchartered territory.

Many of these challenges impact on us all – austerity measures, the refugee crisis and climate change – but the level and type of impact and how we respond will vary. They are experienced in very different ways depending on where you live, your income level, your health and social mobility. Access to decent affordable housing for example is as much about geography as income. Life expectancy itself now varies dramatically within a few miles in cities as much as between regions.

To be truly effective successful parties in future will need to act locally and be responsive to differing needs. Devolution is part of the solution; a process started under New Labour but sadly stalled. We may disagree with the Tories’ focus on elected mayors and the city region model but we should not argue with the principle of local accountability and more tailored local responses to changing needs.

Devolution matters because good services adapt, innovate and set their own direction instead of following unquestionable directions from above, however devolution alone cannot solve the challenges we face. Enabling business and public services to respond to local needs has the potential to do as much or more for quality-of-life issues. Similarly genuine partnership working and sharing can bring great dividends. As old economic models and ways of working come under scrutiny more attention is being given to mutualisation, co-operatives and the sharing economy.

Parties often do their best thinking in opposition. We need to use all our resources and all parts of the Labour movement to build a radical and convincing programme for government in 2020.  The Co-operative movement offers one set of solutions based in models and systems that have stood the test of time.

Co-operatives offer a means to develop businesses and public services which are locally rooted, accountable, and protected from privatisation. The success of co-operative councils in developing models of public service decentralisation, protecting libraries, and co-operative approaches to energy and fair finance are just some of the examples of co-operative innovation taking place within the public sector. Further afield co-operative education is a highly successful model which retains local accountability even under academisation. Unions for the self-employed are beginning to offer a way out of the risk and marginalisation associated with self-employment, while co-operative models in social care are being developed that are an antithesis to the world of 15 minute appointments and below minimum wage employment.

These models go to the heart of some of the problems facing our workforce and our communities. This is the travel of direction of the new politics. Jeremy Corbyn is keen to work with the Co-operative Party and movement, recognising that ‘if you involve people as mutual participants in building their own future…you release their energy and enterprise’. Co-operative models have the potential to enable us to realise many of our goals, and working with Labour where we are in power in Wales and across the country in local councils that work is taking place.

Part of that process is discussion – and next Saturday we’re holding a conference in Sheffield with Compass to discuss co-operative solutions to problems specific to Sheffield and the region. If you’re in the area join us. If not follow the tweets at @SheffieldCP or @CompassOffice.

Mike Buckley is chair of Sheffield Co-operative Party. Jane Thomas is a Compass Associate.