Why can’t MPs work together?

There isn’t a single charity these days, however small, that does not get dragged in to the murky world of politics. The good side of this is that organisations such as Chance UK get to ensure that the voices of our service users are heard at the highest level. There is a more frustrating side to the uneasy coalition though.

For Chance UK, working in a solution focused way means we are used to making even the most difficult things happen efficiently, quickly and at minimal cost. So being asked at short notice to host a speech for the Shadow Minister for Work & Pensions was no problem for us. Fitting so many representatives from voluntary organisations, TV cameras and the press, as well as the Shadow Minister and his team, was a slightly bigger ask, but we managed it.

It was great to hear Liam Byrne talk about the work of Chance UK and hear his support for early intervention, showing his understanding of how much programmes like ours save the country. It is even better to know he wants to come and spend time with us in October to find out more about how our programme works.

I was also delighted to hear that the Shadow Minister wants to sit down with Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith to look at what is working and what is not and talk solutions. I hope this happens and I hope it has a productive outcome.

My frustration comes from the fact that parliament has 650 MPs, including some of the best brains in the country, and I can’t help thinking that if there was more effective cross-party work, such as we have seen with early intervention, we might have more effective policies to help those most in need. I realise that this may sound naïve but isn’t it just wasting time sniping across the House as we see every week at PMQs? The future of our children is too important to be used as a political football. For me, if we are changing the benefits system because we can’t afford to maintain it or because it pays more to not work than to work or whatever reason we are told this week, there is only one question: How are the voluntary sector (and it will be us because we are the frontline) going to help keep our children fed, clothed and properly educated while politicians make up their mind about policy? We vote for you, we pay your salaries because we trust you to lead this country. Stop sniping at each other and start leading.

Gracia McGrath OBE is Chief Executive of early intervention charity Chance UK