I have been intrigued by the idea of David Cameron’s Big Society ever since his vision for this brave new world was first announced. It must be a good ’un, I thought. It must be the most precision-engineered, focus-grouped, exhaustively researched, market-tested bit of policymaking in history. How else, I thought, would a government mostly comprising and fully helmed by marketing gurus unleash on the nation an idea that could immediately be reduced to the initials ‘BS’?

I have been intrigued by the idea of David Cameronu2019s Big Society ever since his vision for this brave new world was first announced. It must be a good u2019un, I thought. It must be the most precision-engineered, focus-grouped, exhaustively researched, market-tested bit of policymaking in history. How else, I thought, would a government mostly comprising and fully helmed by marketing gurus unleash on the nation an idea that could immediately be reduced to the initials u2018BSu2019?

“We’re too busy to be full-time volunteers”