Charities are increasingly being used as “pawns in culture wars” and weaponised by vested interest groups, it was remarked at an event in Westminster yesterday.
Christopher Dayson, professor at Sheffield Hallam University, told the Westminster Social Policy Forum that charities had come under more political pressure in recent years.
He added that problems such as this were making it difficult for charities to plan ahead, especially smaller organisations that lack the capacity to innovate.
“There’s political pressure where charities are increasingly used as pawns in culture wars or weaponised by vested interests seeking to make political points,” he said.
“These pressures mean that charities are being forced to live in the here and now rather than plan for the future.”
Rebecca Young, NCVO policy and public affairs lead, reiterated Dayson’s message and said that many of the umbrella body’s members had been subject to extra scrutiny stemming from a more divided society.
“Many of our members have found themselves in a permanent state of crisis response,” she said. “We’re seeing charities attacked for who they serve, for the values they hold, for speaking up and for being visible.
“Our members tell us about increasing pressures due to polarisation in our communities and that is anything from CEOs receiving threats to [charities] increasing security costs.”
Young added that some beneficiaries felt scared to get the help they need amid a rise in misinformation, creating a further obstacle for charities seeking to bolster community engagement.
She called on the government to better support NCVO's role in social cohesion and issued a warning about local government and NHS reorganisation “putting a strain” on community relationships.
“We need to make sure that local bodies recognise our value, especially during times of change and pressure – that means us being involved in strategic decisions,” she said.
Reflections on new powers for the regulator
Dayson said the role of the Charity Commission was “vital” amid a fractured socio-political climate.
The voluntary action, health and wellbeing professor added that it had been encouraging to see the regulator defend charities in recent high-profile cases.
This comes after the commission cleared refugee charity City of Sanctuary UK after a “misinformation campaign” against it.
Government plans to allow the commission to strip charitable status, disqualify trustees and remove senior managers at voluntary organisations suspected of harbouring extremism have had a mixed response at the event.
Dayson praised the proposed strengthening of the regulator and the current government’s support for the charity sector.
However, Young was more cautious in backing the commission’s potential new powers and alluded to the dangers of unchecked regulation.
She said: “We must ensure the new powers for the Charity Commission on extremism don’t open up a slippery slope that silences our sector for charities clearly operating within charity law.
“Defending the space for charities to operate freely, safely and confidentially is not optional; it is essential.”
