This week Public Health England confirmed that Black and Asian people are more likely to die from COVID-19 than the white British population. Acknowledging the problem exists is a welcome first step. But a clear strategy and recommendations are urgently needed to demonstrate that ... [Continue Reading]
Trust isn’t a popularity contest
Like many long-established institutions, the charity sector has struggled to find its feet in the accelerating roil of political debate. During this time, even as the people they serve need them to speak out more than ever, charities’ voices seem to have dwindled. This has been ... [Continue Reading]
Politics Just Got Interesting Again
With Parliament in recess it’s a good time for policy wonks and campaigners to reflect on the year just gone – and the year ahead. And looking back, what a year its been: if nothing else, politics has started to get interesting again. In the short term, the recent election may not ... [Continue Reading]
Carry on Campaigning
Rumours have been swirling that charities have been silenced by the Lobbying Act during this election campaign, prevented from speaking out in support of their beneficiaries or cause. The Guardian, for example, reports that 'sector leaders feel muzzled' by the Act. But while it has ... [Continue Reading]
Local Charities Day: Commemoration or Celebration?
Last week Rob Wilson, Minister for Civil Society, announced that 16th December would be Local Charities Day. The day aims to provide a much-welcome boost for small charities and community organisations, raising their profile and praising their contribution. As Wilson said when ... [Continue Reading]
Rebuilding Trust
Since Friday the world has become a scarier place. Not just the uncertainty of the Brexit vote itself, but the aftermath of a divisive campaign that has led to a 57% rise in hate crime (and that’s only the ones that get reported). Where do we go from here? It is hard not to get ... [Continue Reading]
Lies, Damn Lies and the EU Referendum
With less than a month to go before votes are finally counted, the debate about Britain’s future role in the EU is going from hyperbole to hysteria. On one side, the PM warns of impending financial meltdown if we leave the EU. On the other, the Brexiteers spread fear of impending ... [Continue Reading]
Oh to be in Scotland
Oh to be in Scotland, now that the referendum’s here… Should charities have a voice in the forthcoming referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union? Apparently it depends on where in the UK you are based, with charity regulators in Scotland and Northern Ireland taking a ... [Continue Reading]
In defence of campaigning
When the Charity Commission announced last November that it would review political activity by charities in the run-up to the election, it sparked considerable concern as to what this might mean. Many wondered if it would lead to yet another review of CC9 – the Commission’s guidance ... [Continue Reading]
Save our human rights
‘Rights have to be given the force of law for that is how we link our dreams to the acts of daily life’ Helena Kennedy ‘Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, peace and ... [Continue Reading]
