<p><br /> David Cameron has fought back against accusations that his vision of the Big Society is simply a "cover" for Government spending cuts.<br /> </p><p><br /> Writing in The Observer, the Prime Minister said that his initiative to hand power to local communities and voluntary organisations was intended to change the way Britain was run.<br /> </p><p><br /> He acknowledged however that at a time of spending restraint, it would benefit society if people were prepared to volunteer more.<br /> </p><p><br /> "Building a stronger, bigger society is something we should try and do whether spending is going up or down," he said.<br /> </p><p><br /> "But there is a broader point to be made. As the state spends less and does less - which would be happening whichever party was in government - there would be a positive benefit if some parts of society were to step forward and do more."<br /> </p><p><br /> His intervention came after Dame Elisabeth Hoodless - who is standing down as executive director of Community Service Volunteers, Britain's biggest volunteering charity - warned that spending cuts could obliterate the existing volunteer base.<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Cameron also dismissed suggestions that the Big Society was too vague a concept to mean anything.<br /> </p><p><br /> "True, it doesn't follow some grand plan or central design. But that's because the whole approach of building a bigger, stronger, more active society involves something of a revolt against the top down, statist approach of recent years," he said.<br /> </p><p><br /> "The Big Society is about changing the way our country is run. That's why the Big Society is here to stay."<br /> </p>
