FAN ARTICLES

The Big Society

By David Cameron :  19/07/2010 :  Comments (18) :

David Cameron, PM... speaking to Mike Owen

Being in Liverpool today, the home of Everton Football Club, I just want to tell you all how much I admire the work of the Ruleteros Society and the great work you have done in getting on this game with the Everton in Chile. It is a great example of what I mean by the Big Society. Perhaps the word big is a little misleading in what I am trying to convey. What I want to see, and what I am trying to encourage is lots of initiatives by the little people at the grassroots that work their way up through the system and have a big impact.

And that's what we have with the Ruleteros Society. I know it is a bilateral initiative ? stretching across the Atlantic, Andes and Amazon ? but it started in a public house in Liverpool, with a group of Evertonians wanting to highlight and celebrate the fact that their great club went over to South America in 1909 ? a remarkable journey in those days ? and played a series of games to such effect, with skill and passion and dedication that a football club was set up by young enthusiasts in Chile and named after the club here.

The Blues that set up the Ruleteros Society in 2002 began forging links with supporters of the Everton in Chile. It is a unique relationship in world football. I know there have been exchange visits between supporters and now you have the teams meeting at Goodison Park on Wednesday 4 August.

I take my hats off to you. There are the things you do because it's your passion. Things that fire you up in the morning, that drive you, that you truly believe will make a real difference to the club you love, and my great passion is building the Big Society. These are the types of efforts I want to see to turn government completely on its head.

This is why I am proud to be a Blue, this is why I am proud to call myself an Evertonian. I know I am considered posh, but some of my best days at Eton and Oxford where when Boris, George and I and the other boys would hire a mini-bus and drive to Upton Park, White Hart Lane, where-ever the Blues were playing in London, we wouldn't miss. You might have seen our flag: Bullingdon Blues. Yes, some of the Scouse blues would take the mick out of our accents. But when Everton scored, we were like every other Blue there, limbs everywhere, falling on the chaps in the row in front.

As for those reds, I have spoken to George and we are in total agreement on this ? that we must be tough on the banks, especially the Royal Bank of Scotland, and consequently Liverpool Football Club must repay all its debts by the end of next week.

As you know, George is obsessional on deficit reduction and so he's delighted with the prices for the Everton Chile game, £10 for adults and £3 for everyone else.

But now I must go. Glad I had enough time to call in at Everton Two. Barack will be made up with those shirts I've bought for them all in the White House. Michelle will look particularly fetching in the pink. Good job I bought one for Sam, too. I'm putting a number 10 on mine. George is of course getting an 11 on his.

If you see pictures of the President and I in Washington, look for the little Everton lapel badge on my jacket.

See you at Goodison Park on Wednesday 4 August. I hope to be in the Brick before. As usual these days, I'll have a Brown over.

COYB

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