Now is the time for co-operation say leading thinkers

The main plenary of Co-operatives 2010 this morning set the context, for the future of the co-operative movement, with three leading thinkers declaring that now is the time for a new economy based on co-operation.

Richard Wilkinson of The Equality Trust started the session by setting out the relationship between inequality and various social problems - the more unequal society, the more  problems such as drug abuse, infant mortality, people in prison . . . .

The solution, he says, is to build a different economy and society based on less consumerism and employees having ownership of businesses.

Philip Blond spoke about his vision of a Big Society and a civil economy, in which people own and run businesses as employee owned businesses, co-operatives and mutuals. He also argued for smaller state where public services are being delivered by co-operatives and mutuals - by communities themselves - not by government.

Will Hutton finished the proceedings by talking about ownership and inequality. As Chair of the Commission on Ownership he is looking at how ownership structures work in the UK and is pointing to co-operatives and mutuals as an existing and powerful alternative.

Will is also looking at high pay in the public sector for government, and called on the co-operative movement to demonstrate the benefits of having greater equality in pay between the highest and lowest paid than in the private sector.