This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/17/oxfam-advert-campaigning-charities-stifled-by-government

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Campaigning charities that expose inconvenient truths must not be bullied Campaigning charities that expose inconvenient truths must not be bullied
(about 3 hours later)
There's something profoundly dispiriting about the way Conservative politicians and commentators profess themselves "outraged" by supposedly "political" charities.There's something profoundly dispiriting about the way Conservative politicians and commentators profess themselves "outraged" by supposedly "political" charities.
And so it was last week, with Conor Burns MP harrumphing over an Oxfam campaign poster that had the temerity to list the salient causes of poverty in the UK, from rising living costs to welfare cuts.And so it was last week, with Conor Burns MP harrumphing over an Oxfam campaign poster that had the temerity to list the salient causes of poverty in the UK, from rising living costs to welfare cuts.
Burns – clearly a sensitive soul – said he was "shocked" by what he called an "overtly" political image contained in a tweet put out out by the charity, and reported it to the Charity Commission on the grounds that Oxfam had breached the rules on political campaigning.Burns – clearly a sensitive soul – said he was "shocked" by what he called an "overtly" political image contained in a tweet put out out by the charity, and reported it to the Charity Commission on the grounds that Oxfam had breached the rules on political campaigning.
Charity Commission guidance is clear that while charities must not be politically partisan, or support political parties, they can oppose and campaign against policies in pursuit of their charitable mission.Charity Commission guidance is clear that while charities must not be politically partisan, or support political parties, they can oppose and campaign against policies in pursuit of their charitable mission.
It would be a tortuous interpretation of charity law to conclude that Oxfam had breached the rules. But then Burns's intervention was not really about the law at all, but about maintaining an environment in which charities that perform their democratic role of questioning and campaigning against government policy are undermined, intimidated and harassed.It would be a tortuous interpretation of charity law to conclude that Oxfam had breached the rules. But then Burns's intervention was not really about the law at all, but about maintaining an environment in which charities that perform their democratic role of questioning and campaigning against government policy are undermined, intimidated and harassed.
The same week, the executive chairman of the Trussell Trust food bank charity, Chris Mould, told a hearing of the Independence Panel that "someone in power" had warned him that the government would "shut down" the charity unless it toned down its criticism of the government's welfare reforms.The same week, the executive chairman of the Trussell Trust food bank charity, Chris Mould, told a hearing of the Independence Panel that "someone in power" had warned him that the government would "shut down" the charity unless it toned down its criticism of the government's welfare reforms.
Mould subsequently explained that this threat was "spoken in anger". But nonetheless, he added, the episode was revealing about "the way people think in the political world about their relationship with the voluntary sector when things are getting difficult".Mould subsequently explained that this threat was "spoken in anger". But nonetheless, he added, the episode was revealing about "the way people think in the political world about their relationship with the voluntary sector when things are getting difficult".
These are not isolated examples but the latest in a series of vituperative attacks on charity campaigners by the coalition. The work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith; the communities secretary Eric Pickles, and the justice secretary Chris Grayling have all spoken contemptuously of campaigning charities.These are not isolated examples but the latest in a series of vituperative attacks on charity campaigners by the coalition. The work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith; the communities secretary Eric Pickles, and the justice secretary Chris Grayling have all spoken contemptuously of campaigning charities.
This is not just heat of the moment stuff. The coalition's proposals to make it more difficult for charities to challenge policy through judicial review are premeditated. The lobbying bill, above all, was a grotesque piece of legislation designed implicitly to crush charity opposition to government and stifle political debate, as the not-knowingly leftwing Countryside Alliance vociferously noted.This is not just heat of the moment stuff. The coalition's proposals to make it more difficult for charities to challenge policy through judicial review are premeditated. The lobbying bill, above all, was a grotesque piece of legislation designed implicitly to crush charity opposition to government and stifle political debate, as the not-knowingly leftwing Countryside Alliance vociferously noted.
One expects tension between a government and charities that tell inconvenient truths, but this has become a notoriously fearful, petulant, and intolerant administration. It is a far cry from the heady "big society" summer of 2010. Little trust remains from that false dawn.One expects tension between a government and charities that tell inconvenient truths, but this has become a notoriously fearful, petulant, and intolerant administration. It is a far cry from the heady "big society" summer of 2010. Little trust remains from that false dawn.
The Independence Panel, made up of senior and respected voluntary sector figures has tracked the miserable growth in political intolerance of campaigning charities over the past two years in a series of reports. Equally worrying, it has found an increase in charities saying they have toned down their campaigning for fear of losing state funding.The Independence Panel, made up of senior and respected voluntary sector figures has tracked the miserable growth in political intolerance of campaigning charities over the past two years in a series of reports. Equally worrying, it has found an increase in charities saying they have toned down their campaigning for fear of losing state funding.
Sir Stephen Bubb, the chief executive of charity umbrella body, Acevo, is right when he points out that encouraging a robust, fearless, campaigning voluntary sector is not just about protecting free speech but "fostering a culture of decision-making based upon evidence and giving a voice to the voiceless". Those who seek to undermine this, he says, "ought to be ashamed of themselves".Sir Stephen Bubb, the chief executive of charity umbrella body, Acevo, is right when he points out that encouraging a robust, fearless, campaigning voluntary sector is not just about protecting free speech but "fostering a culture of decision-making based upon evidence and giving a voice to the voiceless". Those who seek to undermine this, he says, "ought to be ashamed of themselves".
It seems far-fetched to expect this government to change its ways, but the next one must make clear its commitment to the right of charities to campaign, within the law, on political issues. This is, after all, a very British value.It seems far-fetched to expect this government to change its ways, but the next one must make clear its commitment to the right of charities to campaign, within the law, on political issues. This is, after all, a very British value.
Patrick Butler is social policy editor of the Guardian