Wellcome Trust's investment portfolio reaches £18bn
19 Dec 2014
The Wellcome Trust has posted a 15.4 per cent return on its investment portfolio, earning £2.5bn for...
Sorry for interrupting, but there is something we need to tell you...
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
If you wish to restrict or block web browser cookies which are set on your device then you can do this through your browser settings, the Help function within your browser will tell you how.
Viva Palestina, a charity founded by MP George Galloway in 2009, is the subject of a new statutory inquiry by the Charity Commission.
The charity, which supports people in Palestine, has never filed financial accounts to the Charity Commission.
Viva Palestina was formed in 2009 after the Charity Commission told Galloway that a fundraising appeal for aid in Gaza he was running had to be registered as a charity. At the time, the Charity Commission also opened an inquiry into the Mariam Appeal following concerns over the financial governance of £1m it had raised. It was cleared of having links to the ruling party in Gaza, Hamas, but was criticised for its governance.
In a statement to civilsociety.co.uk, the Charity Commission said it has opened a statutory inquiry into Viva Palestina, and one of the regulatory issues to be examined by the inquiry is its overdue accounts. Viva Palestina is nearly 900 days overdue in filing accounts with the Charity Commission since 2010.
Last year, civilsociety.co.uk spoke to the charity’s then-director Kevin Ovendon, who said that the Charity Commission was to blame for its delay in submitting accounts.
George Galloway no longer has formal connections to Viva Palestina, though Ovendon said he often speaks at fundraising events on behalf of the charity.
Galloway accused the Charity Commission of political bias when it launched its inquiry into the Mariam Appeal three years ago.
Viva Palestina's website has not been updated since 2011, and all telephone numbers on its site are no longer in service.
Civilsociety.co.uk was unable to contact anyone at Viva Palestina for comment.
Galloway is Respect MP for Bradford West.
Galloway charity blames Charity Commission for its late accounts
Viva Palestina appeals Charity Commission accounts order
Charity Commission removes Galloway spokesman from Viva Palestina accounts order
Charity Commission freezes accounts and appoints interim manager at George Galloway's charity
19 Dec 2014
The Wellcome Trust has posted a 15.4 per cent return on its investment portfolio, earning £2.5bn for...
19 Dec 2014
Tax relief on giving is expected to rise by 11 per cent in the year to March 2015, suggesting a large...
19 Dec 2014
Andrew O’Brien is to join the Charity Finance Group as head of policy and public affairs.
18 Dec 2014
The chief executive of Camelot has said that reducing the regulation around society lotteries may not...
18 Dec 2014
A survey by Ipsos Mori for NPC about how charities are perceived by people who vote for various political...
17 Dec 2014
Former director of global fundraising for Sightsavers, Tobin Aldrich, has announced that he has left the...
15 Dec 2014
Cancer Research UK’s three new crowdfunding campaigns did not manage to raise even 10 per cent of the...
12 Dec 2014
Online volunteering platform Do-it has been relaunched today by its new owner, the Do-it Trust, with more...
28 Nov 2014
Whatever type of customer-relationship management system charities use, the biggest challenge is convincing...

Attending our one day courses is a highly effective way of ensuring new and existing trustees fully understand their role, responsibilities and liabilities.
12 Feb 2015
9 Mar 2015
21 Apr 2015
8 Oct 2015