Charities won’t be pushed out of politics

The vocal opposition to the Lobbying Act showed the commitment in the sector to fight restrictions to campaigning. At SCVO we believe the Act is a direct attack on the right of charities to campaign and that's why we recently decided to ignore the Lobbying Act and not register with the Electoral Commission. The continuing attacks on charities for being “too political” expose a dangerous and flawed way of thinking. According to this worldview, charities should stick to patching up problems and leave politics to the politicians. Apart from the tragically narrow and elitist view of politics this represents, one of the main problems for advocates of this viewpoint is that for many charities being political is essential to achieving their charitable objectives and meeting the needs of their beneficiaries. In fact many are set up specifically to lobby for social change and provide a vehicle for collective action. Charities also play a vital role in the development of policy, by advocating on the behalf of people whose views may otherwise be marginalised. Charities have a wealth of experience and knowledge developed through extensive interaction with communities. Bringing this into political debate is vital for the creation of good policy that accounts for people’s diverse needs and aspirations. This is clearly illustrated by last year’s Scottish Charity Awards winner A Coalition for Continuing Care’. The coalition that included Barnardo’s and Aberlour had the necessary experience, through their work on the ground with young people in care, to understand the problems and what was needed to remedy them. Through their political lobbying and campaigning they secured a legislative change to the Children and Young People Bill that ensured young people in care will now have the increased rights and support they need.

Charities aren't about to get pushed out of the debate by politicians who are challenged by what they have to say.

The challenges to campaigning work often come when charities find themselves criticising government actions that have a negative impact on the people they serve. Oxfam recently got their knuckles rapped by the Charity Commission who suggested they, “…should have done more to avoid any misperception of political bias” following a complaint from an MP about their Perfect Storm tweet. Oxfam accepted the ruling as it also stated clearly that their intention was not to be party political, but the message being sent here is a dangerous one. If subjective perception is the standard by which a charities campaigning work is to be judged, that would leave much of their work open to criticism from those that are challenged by it. Charities know they have to steer clear of party politics, and the sector appreciates the negative consequences of crossing that line - why would you risk alienating many of your members, funders or staff by associating your organisation with a political party? The worry is that the increasing attacks, which are being well covered by the media, will damage the reputation of the sector and could discourage potential volunteers, supporters and donors. Thankfully charities are not going to take this lying down. The issues facing their beneficiaries are too important for that. A healthy democracy requires a diversity of views and a free platform for criticism. Charities aren't about to get pushed out of the debate by politicians who are challenged by what they have to say. ​