Maggie Lennon argues that civil society might not be best suited for navigating the unchartered waters of Brexit without some genuine assurances from government
When the under secretary of state for Scotland, Lord Dunlop, thanked a recent meeting we attended, I think he was looking at me.
The event was an excellent round table of third sector leaders arranged by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organiations (SCVO) to discuss with Lord Dunlop the third sector in Scotland’s concerns over Brexit and a chance, we hope, to influence the debate, discussions and negotiations.
SCVO is to be congratulated for pulling together such a strong group of passionate and articulate people, representing again just what a wealth of talent lies in the sector in our small country.
All the usual concerns were raised - how to respond to the clear mandate to remain in Scotland, concerns over research, transnational co-operation, human rights, and funding. In discussing how that affected the individual bodies represented, it proved a clear and comprehensive guide to the impact of Brexit on civil society as whole in Scotland. We were not so much singing from the same hymn sheet, as being the hymn’s composers.
I am most concerned of the risk to the good craft civil society, already holed in some places beneath the water line with lack of investment over the years
Maggie Lennon
My contribution was to ask for reassurances that the third sector would receive public recognition and reward for the role we play, as well as assurances on what might be done to mitigate, even in the short term, a drop in funding from Europe.
And while even my O Grade economics means I understand the direct link between a strong economy and a robust public purse with which to support the third sector, what I didn’t find helpful from the representative of Her Majesty’s government was the discussion continuing in the vein of the example of the business sector. They, having accepted the result, were now looking to turn the risk into opportunity, stressing that Britain is open to business; or that having left the European Union but not Europe, we must accept it was in Europe’s interest to keep trading with us.
From where I’m standing in employability for disadvantaged groups, it’s all risk and very little opportunity, and in any event a strong economy is not in the gift of the third sector.
But what we have done, as greater UK, is take a step which seriously undermines our economic growth and compromises that public purse, especially in Scotland.
The Fraser of Allander’s report this week makes it clear that Scotland faces a 60% chance of recession.
A larger percentage of our GDP has to go to mitigate the effects of poverty, poor health, inequality and social deprivation than some other parts of the UK.
Two of our pillars of our on-shore economy, agriculture and businesses springing from academic research, have just had the rugs pulled from out under them; and while about 20% of greater UK’s trade is with the EU, in Scotland it’s more than double that figure. So it's with that in mind I asked clearly for some sort of assurance of where the revenue for the important “revenue flows” would come from.
The room was pretty clear too on the fact that the leave vote was, in many ways, a protest vote about the reduction in public spending and effect of austerity, which had been turned against the “foreigner in our midst” in parts of the country that were really struggling.
If that were accepted and then addressed by the UK government, it would need a change in policy away from austerity and a much bigger investment in an agenda for social justice, which according to Theresa May’s first speech as PM, is her agenda too.
Great news, but of course ironically that means even more investment in the third sector. A sector, according to the under secretary, which reaches parts of society that the state cannot.
Which brings us back to assurances about money and our role.
Before leaving off we were asked to accept that we were in unchartered waters. Indeed we are and I am most concerned of the risk to the good craft civil society, already holed in some places beneath the water line with lack of investment over the years. Who knows what tsunamis await as we navigate our exit. We might well be swamped.
If direct answers or assurances are the sign that one has been heard, I’m left with the view that our pleas fell largely on deaf ears.
Some of us will be repeating the exercise in late August with cabinet secretaries from the Scottish Government and while that meeting won’t be taken up with explaining and describing the unique economic and political contexts in Scotland, the questions will, I assume, remain the same. You have been warned!
Maggie Lennon is founder and director of the Bridges Programmes, promoting the social and economic integration and inclusion of asylum seekers refugees and migrants.
