The ‘shared society’ seems to be a gloomier version of the ‘big society’

Is Theresa May’s ‘shared society’ speech just a rather empty rebranding exercise, or something serious that will shift social policy in this country? The Prime Minister today set out more of her thinking on domestic reform and defined what her ‘shared society’ will look like. It’s something we have only caught glimpses of up until now, because of the truncated leadership contest and the focus on Brexit.

She painted a very gloomy picture of life in Britain today, focusing on all the things that are going very badly wrong for many people: ‘We live in a country where if you’re born poor, you will die on average 9 years earlier than others. If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white. If you’re a white, working-class boy, you’re less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university.