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| Charities criticise watchdog's ban on EU campaigning | |
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| Charities have accused their watchdog of producing “alarming” guidance that will prevent voluntary organisations from taking a position and campaigning on the EU referendum. | Charities have accused their watchdog of producing “alarming” guidance that will prevent voluntary organisations from taking a position and campaigning on the EU referendum. |
| Their protest comes after the Charity Commission made a ruling this week telling registered charities only to enter the European debate “in exceptional circumstances” – and warning that it would be closely monitoring their activity. | Their protest comes after the Charity Commission made a ruling this week telling registered charities only to enter the European debate “in exceptional circumstances” – and warning that it would be closely monitoring their activity. |
| Karl Wilding, director of public policy at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities, said the language issued by the commission was more “hawkish” than the underlying law. | |
| “Our concern is that the guidance has been deliberately drafted to put charities off speaking out even when they have a legitimate rationale for expressing their views on the referendum,” he said. | “Our concern is that the guidance has been deliberately drafted to put charities off speaking out even when they have a legitimate rationale for expressing their views on the referendum,” he said. |
| Craig Bennett, the chief executive of Friends of the Earth, has written to the prime minister to complain about the publication, pointing out that David Cameron had himself called on NGOs to enter the EU debate. | Craig Bennett, the chief executive of Friends of the Earth, has written to the prime minister to complain about the publication, pointing out that David Cameron had himself called on NGOs to enter the EU debate. |
| “The tone is clearly designed to discourage charities from taking a position in the EU referendum,” said Bennett. | “The tone is clearly designed to discourage charities from taking a position in the EU referendum,” said Bennett. |
| The complaint comes amid allegations that figures inside the commission, which is chaired by Rupert Mudroch’s biographer William Shawcross, are using the regulator to drive their own “political agenda”. | The complaint comes amid allegations that figures inside the commission, which is chaired by Rupert Mudroch’s biographer William Shawcross, are using the regulator to drive their own “political agenda”. |
| Margaret Hodge MP described Shawcross as an “arch Eurosceptic” and questioned his role. “It will disappoint many that someone with such controversial views on issues like gay rights and climate change is involved in gagging charities from speaking out about Europe,” she said, calling the commission to outline whether Shawcross was involved in drawing up the guidance. | |
| Bennett has also written to the chief executive of the Charity Commission – claiming that the guidance was leaked to the Eurosceptic press before charities had seen it. An article in the Telegraph, first published briefly on Saturday night, had critics accusing the Friends of the Earth of breaching rules before the charity had seen the new guidance. | Bennett has also written to the chief executive of the Charity Commission – claiming that the guidance was leaked to the Eurosceptic press before charities had seen it. An article in the Telegraph, first published briefly on Saturday night, had critics accusing the Friends of the Earth of breaching rules before the charity had seen the new guidance. |
| “It is very clear that someone who had access to guidance with a very clear political agenda gave it to the Telegraph and other Eurosceptic papers,” said Bennett. | |
| “This is a debate about to what extent it is appropriate or not for charities to engage in political campaigning. The huge irony is that whoever leaked a copy of this guidance to Eurosceptic members of the press was clearly motivated by purely political reasons.” | “This is a debate about to what extent it is appropriate or not for charities to engage in political campaigning. The huge irony is that whoever leaked a copy of this guidance to Eurosceptic members of the press was clearly motivated by purely political reasons.” |
| His charity issued a defiant statement in favour of EU membership, with Bennett saying his trustees would consider the fresh guidance in their own time. | His charity issued a defiant statement in favour of EU membership, with Bennett saying his trustees would consider the fresh guidance in their own time. |
| The Charity Commission denied that the ruling was meant to silence charities, saying they could intervene in the EU debate if they believed it was justifiable. They also rejected claims that the guidance had been leaked, and added that they had made “categorical checks” to verify this was the case. | The Charity Commission denied that the ruling was meant to silence charities, saying they could intervene in the EU debate if they believed it was justifiable. They also rejected claims that the guidance had been leaked, and added that they had made “categorical checks” to verify this was the case. |
| A spokesman also pointed out that the phrase “exceptional circumstances” was included in a 2014 report into the behaviour of charities during an election. | A spokesman also pointed out that the phrase “exceptional circumstances” was included in a 2014 report into the behaviour of charities during an election. |
| Asheem Singh, director of public policy at the charity leaders group Acevo, added: “This is an alarming piece of guidance that needs urgent clarification.” | Asheem Singh, director of public policy at the charity leaders group Acevo, added: “This is an alarming piece of guidance that needs urgent clarification.” |
| Rows over the EU intensified during the day as Boris Johnson was forced to admit that an email telling his deputy advisers not to contradict the Mayor’s position on the EU was “a cock up”. Johnson, who faced accusations of hypocrisy, said he did not agree with the memo sent by his chief of staff Edward Lister, which had emerged overnight. | Rows over the EU intensified during the day as Boris Johnson was forced to admit that an email telling his deputy advisers not to contradict the Mayor’s position on the EU was “a cock up”. Johnson, who faced accusations of hypocrisy, said he did not agree with the memo sent by his chief of staff Edward Lister, which had emerged overnight. |
| A photograph of the email, thought to have been sent on 4 March, shows Lister explaining that “GLA [Greater London authority] officers, can, when not at work, express personal opinions (which may be contrary to the mayor’s views)”. | |
| The message then reads: “Whilst this is the formal position for you also, I would expect, given your roles, you either to advocate the mayor’s position or otherwise not openly to contradict it.” | The message then reads: “Whilst this is the formal position for you also, I would expect, given your roles, you either to advocate the mayor’s position or otherwise not openly to contradict it.” |
| However, the mayor’s official spokesman said: “The mayor is relaxed about any of his team of advisers in a personal capacity campaigning for or supporting either side in the EU referendum. He wants to see an open and inclusive debate and recognises that some of his advisers have differing views to those he holds.” | |
| Elsewhere, the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst criticised the Tory cabinet minister Priti Patel for claiming suffragettes were fighting for the same cause as those who want Britain to leave the EU. | |
| Helen Pankhurst said it was “unacceptable” to use her ancestor’s achievements to promote Brexit, after Patel, the employment minister, claimed the suffragettes and leave campaigners were fighters for democratic freedom. | Helen Pankhurst said it was “unacceptable” to use her ancestor’s achievements to promote Brexit, after Patel, the employment minister, claimed the suffragettes and leave campaigners were fighters for democratic freedom. |
| In a speech to launch the Women for Britain campaign, Patel was due to say: “As a suffragette, Pankhurst fought for the rights of women to have a vote, a voice and a say in how their society is governed and who governs it. In many ways, Women for Britain are fighting for the same cause. The suffragettes fought for our democratic freedom. Now we are the ones who must fight to protect it. | In a speech to launch the Women for Britain campaign, Patel was due to say: “As a suffragette, Pankhurst fought for the rights of women to have a vote, a voice and a say in how their society is governed and who governs it. In many ways, Women for Britain are fighting for the same cause. The suffragettes fought for our democratic freedom. Now we are the ones who must fight to protect it. |
| “Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes did not fight to have the right to vote on who governs them only to then see those decisions surrendered to the EU’s undemocratic institutions and political elite.” | “Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes did not fight to have the right to vote on who governs them only to then see those decisions surrendered to the EU’s undemocratic institutions and political elite.” |
| But Pankhurst said she did not believe the aims of the Brexit campaign were in the same spirit as the suffragette movement. | But Pankhurst said she did not believe the aims of the Brexit campaign were in the same spirit as the suffragette movement. |
| “My great-grandmother fought tirelessly for women’s rights and dedicated her life to making sure women could live their lives free from discrimination. It is unacceptable to use her achievements to argue for something that is so out of line with the spirit of international solidarity that defined the suffragette movement. | “My great-grandmother fought tirelessly for women’s rights and dedicated her life to making sure women could live their lives free from discrimination. It is unacceptable to use her achievements to argue for something that is so out of line with the spirit of international solidarity that defined the suffragette movement. |
| “To the contrary, I believe that my great-grandmother would have been the first to champion what the EU has meant for women, including equal pay and anti-discrimination laws.” | “To the contrary, I believe that my great-grandmother would have been the first to champion what the EU has meant for women, including equal pay and anti-discrimination laws.” |