"This is all fine motherhood and apple pie. But isn't this just all rhetoric?"
We are packed into Edinburgh's Corn Exchange for the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition's Election Question Time. Sponsored by local social firm Forth Sector, five senior election candidates have just spoken in glowing terms about social enterprise, but our first questioner, Graham Bell, the Kibble CEO, cuts through the cosy consensus.
He cites the recent decision by the Department for Work and Pensions to award Scotland's two work programme contracts to private sector companies, rather than Scotland's premier social enterprise, The Wise Group. This decision will cost many social enterprise subcontractors dear.
Rhetoric or realpolitik? They couldn't possibly comment, or could they? Faced with an audience of social entrepreneurs, what can our candidates really say about life post 5 May, when the wheeler-dealing starts? Naturally this being Scotland, everyone is too polite to mention the big society.
Yet we can't complain about the stunning consensus in their manifestos. All delightfully informed by In Business To Change Lives, the coalition's own member-led manifesto. Hence the Scottish Conservatives champion social impact bonds, and pledge to consult on the right to bid for public sector contracts.
The Scottish Greens support community benefit clauses, community owned renewables and itch to relaunch land reform. Lib Dems also like community benefit clauses and social impact bonds, but also feel Scottish water should be a public benefit company, while Scottish Labour – pro community benefits clauses too – support a key coalition demand for a loan guarantee scheme for social enterprise investors.
Finally, the Scottish National Party promises to roll out social impact bonds, as well as community empowerment through public asset transfer. All are unanimous that social enterprises should deliver public services.
Cynics among us wonder when such enthusiasm will be shared by local council commissioners, for whom the community benefit clauses remain an exotic beastie.
As the sun streams in, hot debate ranges from inward investment to renewable energy. Finally the room ignites. The Chair asks "Is it important to distinguish between social enterprise and the third sector?" "Yes!" everyone roars. Almost every hand shoots up.
The five candidates blink, clearly taken aback. There they've been for the last hour, happily agreeing on community benefit clauses and what a nice, warm happy-clappy lot we all are.
They're not expecting the teeth bared on the night to be ours.
Antonia Swinson is Chief Executive of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition. A summary on social enterprise undertakings in all the Scottish party manifestos for the 5 May Holyrood elections can be found here
Copyright Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition 2011
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