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Charity Commission warns charities to avoid culture wars and party politics

shawn mach
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To say that relations have been strained between the charity sector and its regulator in England and Wales, the Charity Commission, is something of an understatement. But the bitterness plumbed new depths at the weekend when the commission chair, Tina Stowell, chose to up the ante by warning charities against “getting drawn into the culture wars”.

Writing in the Mail On Sunday, Lady Stowell argued that while it was clear that charities could campaign on issues of direct concern to them provided they did not stray into party politics, they should avoid picking sides on high-profile issues that were creating new divisions in society – Brexit, free speech, the root causes of inequality and “how best to tell the story of British history”.

More: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/30/regulator-warning-culture-wars-strained-relations-charities

Benny Fitzpatrick
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How on earth does one address the problem of inequality, without informed discussion of it’s root causes?

Unless, of course, one doesn’t really want to address the problem of inequality

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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Benny Fitzpatrick - 30 November 2020 03:34 PM

How on earth does one address the problem of inequality, without informed discussion of it’s root causes?

Unless, of course, one doesn’t really want to address the problem of inequality

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport selected Stowell to be the new chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. However in 2018 the parliamentary Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee at their interview of Stowell unanimously refused to endorse the appointment due to “a complete lack of experience” and a lack of “any real insight, knowledge or vision”.

Tina Stowell, Baroness Stowell of Beeston

shawn mach
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Extract from Charity Commission’s own guidance:

Key points about campaigning and political activity

- campaigning and political activity can be legitimate and valuable activities for charities to undertake ...

- political campaigning, or political activity, as defined in this guidance, must be undertaken by a charity only in the context of supporting the delivery of its charitable purposes ... it must not be the continuing and sole activity of the charity.

- there may be situations where carrying out political activity is the best way for trustees to support the charity’s purposes. A charity may choose to focus most, or all, of its resources on political activity for a period. The key issue for charity trustees is the need to ensure that this activity is not, and does not become, the reason for the charity’s existence

- charities can campaign for a change in the law, policy or decisions ... where such change would support the charity’s purposes. Charities can also campaign to ensure that existing laws are observed.

- a charity may give its support to specific policies advocated by political parties if it would help achieve its charitable purposes ...

More: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities-cc9/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities

Benny Fitzpatrick
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Looking at the esteemed (?) Baroness’ comments again. It seems the Regime is not keen on discussion of its policies whatsoever. The fact that they frown on free speech about the subject of free speech is somewhat chilling.

It all boils down to the Regime’s overriding terror of being held accountable for any of the consequences of an ideology driven agenda.

Mike Hughes
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Anyone ever come across any charity which could campaign for its purposes without having an opinion, political or otherwise?

The US may have just had a close escape but we’re sleepwalking into our version.

Benny Fitzpatrick
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Presumably in the government’s eyes, “good” citizens shouldn’t have an opinion, and should just unquestioningly accept the official line?

It’s dangerous for people to “think too much”! What’s the line from “Julius Caesar”? “Yon Cassius hath a mean and hungry look. He reads much. Such men are dangerous”

shawn mach
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Blog post from ACEVO:

Baroness Stowell, the current chair of the Charity Commission, has recently announced she will not be standing for a second term in the role. After 14 years of concerns around party-political appointments to this public position, policy officer Maisie Hulbert asks: what skills and experience does ACEVO want to see in the next chair?

More: https://www.acevo.org.uk/2020/11/what-we-want-to-see-from-the-next-charity-commission-chair/