The Political Opportunity• Pre 2000, demutualisation

shrinking the UK sector• Period of business stabilisation

then growth• 2008 Financial crisis a shock to

the economic system• Now there is a political

consensus moving in favour of mutuals

Key Objectives• To build a cross party

political consensus for mutuals

• Develop a policy ‘shopping list’ for the UK Government

• Build sectoral buy-in for this programme

• Influence political parties to adopt pro-mutual policy and programmes

Secondary Benefits• Educate key policy makers

about mutuals• Consolidate background

resources promoting mutuals• Raise the profile of the sector

and businesses within it• Build closer relationships with

political parties• Build solidarity among mutuals

Process• Gather support from sector trade

bodies• Series of meetings with sector

experts• Each sector responsible for their

own content• Advise and facilitate the

development of headline messages

• Meet with political parties to explain our objectives

Process• The Manifesto is divided into four

sections:• The case for co-operatives &

mutuals• What co-operatives and mutuals

need from the Government• How co-operatives and mutuals

can help Britain• Chapters on the component parts

of the co-operative and mutual sector

Using the Manifesto• It is a central reference tool for

politicians when working with co-operatives and mutuals

• Party general election manifestos reflected our campaigning

• Dialogue led to new policy discussions

• Others have been able to run campaigns on specific policy areas from the manifesto

• It has attracted global interest

And it actually works• Cross-party consensus in favour of

co-operatives & mutuals• Many new mutuals have been

established in health, education & local government sectors

• There are over 2 million more mutual members as a result of this work

• The Coalition Agreement commits the UK Government to promote mutuals

• New long term engagement with politicians with a higher benchmark

Co-operativesKey Issues:• Advocacy/Policy leadership• Legislation• Fiscal Policy• Business support• Capital Raising