Charities must never get involved in party politics, says watchdog chairman

Charities must never stray into party politics, the watchdog’s chairman has warned after a series of rows involving environment groups.

Orlando Fraser, the Charity Commission’s chairman, said bosses must not allow their organisations to be “used as a vehicle for the expression of party-political views” ahead of a general election.

It comes after some wildlife charities have come under fire for openly criticising the Tory party in newspaper ads and on social media.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) apologised over a social media post last year accusing the Government of lying about environmental commitments.

Staying neutral

In a blog post on Monday, Mr Fraser wrote: “I will not allow the commission to be misused or weaponised by any particular side of the public debate, whether it be by politicians, the media, or indeed the sector itself.”

Mr Fraser said complaints to the regulator are “one certainty in an otherwise uncertain period of heightened political volatility”.

Charities “must never stray into party politics”, he said, warning that “they must never promote, or be seen to promote, a political party or candidate”, adding: “As trustees and charity leaders you must protect your charity’s reputation and not allow your organisation to be used as a vehicle for the expression of the party-political views of any individual trustee, employee, political party or candidate.”

Mr Fraser also wrote: “We seem to live in an increasingly divided society, in which public discourse is becoming ever more polarised.

“Personal attacks undermining the motivations of opponents risk becoming the norm, not just in party politics, but in wider public debate.

“And the work of charities is often at the biting edge of the most sensitive, divisive of these debates.

“But charities are different, both in law, and in the public mind. In this context, the Commission expects charities to engage in public discourse in a way that promotes respect, tolerance and consideration for others, and in a tone that reflects your trusted standing as a charity – avoiding inflammatory rhetoric.”

RSPB investigation

The Charity Commission is currently investigating the RSPB over an angry Twitter rant in September in which it accused the Prime Minister and his then Cabinet ministers Michael Gove and Therese Coffey of being “liars”.

The conservation charity lashed out on X, formerly known as Twitter, at plans to scrap water pollution restrictions for housing developments in England.

Beccy Speight, the RSPB chief executive, said she did not approve the post and that it did not go through “normal protocols”, as she declared the charity was “not entering politics”.

Mr Fraser’s reminder comes just months after he warned charities in a speech of the dangers of fighting “fierce public battles” around culture wars.

It is not just wildlife charities that have faced accusations of being overly political in recent years.

Charity reported to regulator

Barnardo’s, the UK’s biggest children’s charity, was reported to the regulator in 2020 by dozens of Tory MPs over guidance that said parents and grandparents should be teaching children about “white privilege”.

The charity said at the time that the information “doesn’t promote critical race theory as undisputed fact”, adding: “It provokes and informs a complex conversation on an important issue for parents to lead that conversation in an appropriate way.”

Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, accused some charities of being “politically motivated activists masquerading as humanitarians” last year after a damning report into misconduct at Care4Calais, one of the main voluntary groups opposing Rwanda deportation flights.