According to this interview in third sector magazine, Rob Wilson who was Minister for Civil Society from September 2014 to June 2017 has some valuable perspectives, even if there are many elements I disagree with. He states clearly at the opening of the piece that the terminology of ‘third sector’ which I personally dislike intensely is a good fit with where the world of charities sits, vis a vis the world of the Government. He states:

The charity sector is known as the third sector, and the truth is that is a fair reflection of where it sits in the political pecking order. Despite rallies of interest from governments over the decades, it has never really been integrated into political thinking. This is something I recognised and tried to change during my three years as Minister for Civil Society, with some success, although it was an uphill task. I have always held those involved in the charity sector in high regard and valued the impact of their work. I feel they have much to offer government and the nation, so it was a genuine privilege to hold the civil society brief.

The truth is that until we have a Government that is willing to see charities as agencies that are capable of delivering as much value as the rest of the public sector and the private sector, we will never have an effective Government. The big question is how will this happen? In my view we need to see Parliament changed so that Independent MPs becomes a meaningful part of the political landscape. My own view is that people like Shami Chakrabarti who in theory should be capable of making a huge change to the way in which a political party thinks, are absorbed into the fabric and power structures of all of the major parties. If Shami was an Independent MP then I believe she would have a huge impact on Parliament. The tragic part of Rob Wilsons piece is at the end when he states as his final of three recommendations to charities:

Finally, get closer to the Conservative Party and government: judge them on their actions. We do value the role of charities highly, but we have a different view about how things are delivered. Get involved, help shape policy development and be open-minded.

The truth is that getting close to a political party is not the answer, the answer is to find a way of being heard in public in Parliament so that instead of cosying up to political parties, people like Shami begin to bring challenge and constructive suggestions to Parliament which is where our national sovereignty currently lies.