Brother to a certain Blackadder and I believe, one of the original founders of UKIP, Rodney Atkinson's assessment of the appalling Common Purpose is most accurate.
Sir,
I am greatly disturbed that my old University Newcastle, has awarded an 'honorary degree' not to an individual but (uniquely) to an organisation. It is called Common Purpose which claims to promote 'leadership' in public and private sector organisations - indeed principally among those who have already acquired leadership roles. Museum Directors, Chief Constables, Arts Council Directors and Chief Executives do not seem to require instruction on how to become leaders and the suspicion of many observers is that Common Purpose has a political agenda.
The Founder Julia Middleton worked in Deputy Prime Minsiter John Prescott's Department and is a Trustee of the modernist Marxist think tank Demos. The general approach of Common Purpose seems to be supportive of corporatist and social democrat politics, regional government and eurofederalism. The organisation's own description of its aim is to provide its 'graduates' with the 'inspiration, information and opportunities they need to change the world.' In what way 'change the world', why change? In the name of what ideology should change occur? That is a blatantly political agenda.
They go on to say that 'leaders need to know what other people are thinking, in order to be better able to work with, against or around them'!! In other words they are being taught techniques to frustrate and act against others. Indeed they pride themselves on 'networking' with people like themselves in big business and local and national Government organisations. But what if (as in most cases in the public sector) they are supposed to be doing the will of the people and their elected representatives? Indeed they are particularly keen (despite being funded largely by the taxpayers) to keep their proceedings secret. They have a rule that: 'participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed; nor may it be mentioned that the information was received at the meeting'.
Common Purpose receives large sums of money from corporations and Government (it was recently revealed they even had an office provided illegally at taxpayers expense) it gives clear instructions to civil servants and businessmen how to behave and get their own way, it keeps its proceedings secret and then registers as a 'charity'.
At a time when cynicism about democratic Government is justifiably widespread the last thing we need is this undemocratic corporatist organisation working beyond the control of voters. As the former US president Theodore Roosevelt rightly said of corporatism: 'Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, is the first task of statesmanship”. Common Purpose has too many characteristics of such invisibility to be acceptable in a democratic society.
Yours etc ,
Rodney Atkinson
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