Is the co-operative movement political at heart? And, if so, should it be assessing the impact of deregulation? These were some of the questions asked by delegates at the Future Co-operatives Conference in Cheltenham Spa.

The two-day event featured a presentation from Christine Berry, researcher at the New Economics Foundation, a think tank based in London. Ms Berry co-authored a report, which argues that the concept of “better regulation” is actually a threat to democracy.

She explained how as part of the “better regulation” agenda civil service economists are required to complete a detailed appraisal of proposed policy changes and, where possible, express all impacts in terms of monetary values.

Another rule, known as “one in, two out”, prevents government departments from implementing new laws that impose £1 of cost to business unless they also repeal £2 from elsewhere, regardless of social or environmental benefits.

The “one in, two out” process also involves the Regulatory Policy Committee, a panel composed mainly of business representatives which receives completed impact assessments and assesses their quality, providing official opinions that must be taken into account by departments.

Ms Berry believes the combined effect of these initiatives has been profound and important social protections have been watered down, such as workers’ protection from unfair dismissal and speed limits for heavy goods vehicles.

Employees who want to bring a case to an employment tribunal now have to pay new fees. The period before employees are protected from unfair dismissal has also doubled, from one to two years. An impact assessment by the Department for Transport estimates that ‘an additional 1.7 to 3.5 fatal accidents and 4.2 to 8.5 serious accidents might occur each year as a result of the speed limit increase’, a 14% increase on average.