Civil Society Groups Warn New Charity Commission Powers Could Suppress Advocacy
Leading UK civil society organizations, including the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Muslim Charities Forum, Quakers in Britain, and Oxfam, have urged the government to consult the sector before implementing new powers for the Charity Commission. In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, these groups warned that proposed social cohesion measures, designed to tackle extremism, risk suppressing legitimate advocacy, campaigning, and community engagement. The signatories expressed concern that broader grounds for reporting organizations for extremism, along with expanded powers to remove trustees and close charities, lack clear safeguards. They argue this could disproportionately affect organizations working on sensitive issues or representing diverse communities, creating a chilling effect on civic space. This warning comes amid rising race and religious hate crimes and the government's recent adoption of a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. While the government cites social cohesion as key to national resilience, critics fear these measures will marginalize diverse voices and impose undue regulatory pressure. The groups call for transparent consultation and emphasized the need to balance hate suppression with the protection of dissenting voices in the public square.
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Civil Society Groups Warn New Charity Commission Powers Could Suppress Advocacy
Leading UK civil society organizations, including the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Muslim Charities Forum, Quakers in Britain, and Oxfam, have urged the government to consult the sector before implementing new powers for the Charity Commission. In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, these groups warned that proposed social cohesion measures, designed to tackle extremism, risk suppressing legitimate advocacy, campaigning, and community engagement. The signatories expressed concern that broader grounds for reporting organizations for extremism, along with expanded powers to remove trustees and close charities, lack clear safeguards. They argue this could disproportionately affect organizations working on sensitive issues or representing diverse communities, creating a chilling effect on civic space. This warning comes amid rising race and religious hate crimes and the government's recent adoption of a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. While the government cites social cohesion as key to national resilience, critics fear these measures will marginalize diverse voices and impose undue regulatory pressure. The groups call for transparent consultation and emphasized the need to balance hate suppression with the protection of dissenting voices in the public square.
The Guardian