Proposed regulatory powers could restrict campaigning, charity leaders warn

Charity sector groups including The Muslim Charities Forum and the NCVO have co-signed a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy warning her that proposed new anti-extremism powers for the Charity Commission risk harming legitimate advocacy.

They say that while they share the government’s commitment to tackling hate the proposed measures risk “suppression of lawful advocacy, campaigning and community engagement”.

The letter has been co-signed by 18 civil society organisations, also including Oxfam, Quakers in Britain and ACEVO.

Last month Nandy announced she had asked government officials to work with the Charity Commission to “speed up the process for investigating charities suspected of engaging in extremist behaviour”, including strengthening the regulators powers to close charities and ban trustees if needed.

But the civil society groups have urged Nandy to ensure the sector is consulted with and that any new powers are clearly defined to avoid confusion among trustees.

They also need to be proportionate and workable for charities of all sizes, charity leaders say.

“In the absence of clear safeguards and well-defined thresholds, the proposed expansion of the Charity Commission’s powers to remove trustees and close organisations, could be applied in ways that mischaracterise legitimate civil society activity,” states their letter.

Muslim Charities Forum chief executive Fadi Itani added: “There must be zero tolerance for hate and unlawful conduct.

“But unclear or overly broad powers risk deepening the chilling effect across civil society, silencing legitimate advocacy at the very moment it is needed most.”

Quakers in Britain recording clerk Paul Parker said: “A healthy democratic society depends on the public being able to make their views known in peaceful and nonviolent ways.

“It’s vital that government strikes the right balance between suppressing hatred and allowing, even welcoming, dissenting voices in the public square.

“Sadly, this measure risks imposing yet another constraint on civil society’s ability to speak out, and I urge the government to think again.”

Also signing the letter is the Charity Finance Group (CFG).

“We are keen to understand more about the proposed measures to expand the Charity Commission’s powers and how ‘extremism’ is to be defined," said CFG’s co-CEO Clare Mills.