Letwin paints Tory vision of society

Lady Thatcher was prime minister for over a decade

The Conservatives have sought to lay to rest once and for all Margaret Thatcher's now infamous assertion that "there's no such thing as society".

In a speech that will be widely seen as part of the Tories' ongoing attempt to show themselves as more compassionate, Oliver Letwin said that supporting society's institutions was a primary role of government.

"When the left say society - then and still today - they inevitably mean the state

Oliver Letwin

The shadow home secretary told the Adam Smith Institute that his party envisaged that government's main role is to "support the institutions of society and the complex, infinitely varied relationships between those institutions."

The Tory vision was of a government helping to sustain a society that is "a society that is a rich tapestry of active citizens, families, places of worships, dedicated professions and independent associations.

"Government must again become the servant of society - only then will we be able to realise the mission that Iain Duncan Smith has given the Conservative party: the renewal of society."

Mr Letwin acknowledged the word "society" caused his party difficulties ever since the interview with Baroness Thatcher in 1988 when she was still prime minister.

She said: "And you know, there's no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, there are families."

'Enduring vision'

Outrider for 'compassionate' conservativism?

Mr Letwin said the former premier was quoted out of context and what she was doing was to attack the left's "constant and unthinking call for society to rush in and solve every ill".

He added: "And when the left say society - then and still today - they inevitably mean the state.

"In the part of the quotation that the left never repeat, Mrs Thatcher points to a more enduring vision of society - a society composed of active citizens, strong families and of neighbours who look out for each other."