General Election: Advice from the Charity Commission on campaigning and political activity.
With the General Election now set for Thursday 4th July, it is a good time to check the advice from the Charity Commission in relation to responsibilities and published guidance around political activity and campaigning.
Orlando Fraser KC, Chair of the Charity Commission has 3 key points to take away from his article issued this month:
- Charities may give support to or raise concerns about specific policies advocated by political parties but as trustees and leaders of charities, you have an important responsibility to ensure that everything you do, and every decision you make, helps to further your charityā€™s purposes and is in the best interests of your charity.
- Charities are required to be independent and cannot have political purposes, and this is important for public trust. As such, charities must never stray into party politics ā€“ nor must they ever promote, or be seen to promote, a political party or candidate.
- As trustees you must protect your charityā€™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.
Full article from Orlando Fraser KC, Chair of the Charity Commission: 20 May 2024 can be found here:
Further advice and guidance:
- 2022 rules for charities that want to support, or oppose, a change in government policy or the law, please click here.
- Updated 2022 Guidance on Campaigning and political activity, please click here.
- Supplemental Guidance for Charities during an election period, please click here.
- Charities and the General Election: Information for parliamentary candidates (Information on the rules that charities must follow, and how parliamentary candidates can engage with them during an election campaign), please click here
posted 23 May 2024