Advocacy group Cage has called on two Parliamentary committees to investigate the impartiality of the Charity Commission in relation to Muslim charities.

Cage and the Commission were engaged in a lengthy dispute last year. The regulator became involved after two grantmaking foundations were criticised for funding Cage, which media reports had accused of having links to terrorists.

A judicial review was dropped after the two sides agreed a statement and the Commission agreed it cannot permanently “fetter charities' exercise of discretion”.

Cage has asked the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Public Accounts Committee to “look into the conduct of Mr William Shawcross in exercising his powers as chair of the Charity Commission, particularly in relation to Muslim charities”.

Adnan Siddiqui, director at Cage, wrote letters to both Bernard Jenkin, chair of PACAC and Meg Hillier, chair of PAC, calling on them to investigate the Commission’s actions. He accuses Shawcross of “allowing his personal beliefs and opinions to influence the work of the Charity Commission” because he has previously written supportively about Guantanamo Bay.

The letters added: “It is clear to us that Mr Shawcross holds Cage and the work which we do in disdain and those who associate with us.”

Cage also claims that: “There is further evidence that the number of investigations against Muslim charities is disproportionate.”

A Charity Commission spokesman said: “We are, of course, accountable to Parliament and we are always happy to speak to one or both of the committees about any aspect of our work.”

Cage demands PACAC fundraising report is clarified

In a separate letter to Jenkin about his committee’s report into fundraising, which praised the Commission about the action it took regarding Cage, Siddiqui said he was concerned that there “are a number of assertions and inaccuracies” made about Cage and has asked for corrections.

He said: “The report states that ‘The Cage case drew our attention to the issue of donations from overseas.’ The Committee continues by highlighting that there is a problem of ‘funds arriving from hostile governments or terrorist supporting organisations.’ However, Cage has never received any funding from individuals, organisations or governments overseas. In addition, we do hope that the Committee is not in any way implying that Cage is a ‘terrorist supporting organisation’.”

Cage complains that neither it nor the charities were invited to give evidence before the report came out.