The current government, even more than the last, places active communities at the centre of its policies. OK, so far this is more rhetoric than reality, but the 'Big Society', if it is ever to exist (and that's a pretty big if), will need strong, cohesive local communities at its heart.
So what are we to make of this? How can this plan - if it is a plan - possibly help to increase community cohesion, get everyone pulling together etc etc? Making people living in social housing move after 5 years might help social mobility, although I'm not quite sure why: surely it's jobs that will increase social mobility? But it certainly won't help them form bonds with their neighbours and neighbourhoods of the type that might encourage them to go out and do all the things the governments seems to want them to do.
Or is, as usual, that the Tories think people who live in council houses are not really 'like us', but are minions to be shunted around at will? Or perhaps they are just so far beyond the pale, contaminated by 'benefit culture', 'ASBO culture', whatever-culture that they can't really take part in the Big Society. Indeed, are they the problem against which some Big Action is needed by right thinking middle class home owners who will be allowed to stay in their homes for as long as they like?
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