The chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports has expressed surprise that just days before the calling of the general election, the Charity Commission released two case reports involving the Conservative Party.

On the last working day before Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared the election for 6 May, the Charity Commission published its regulatory case report about the League’s press release, which described the Conservatives as  “more like a nasty party than a compassionate Conservative party”. The Commission said the release “appeared to criticise the political party rather than seeking to influence public opinion on a particular issue”. 

Days before this, the Charity Commission also reprimanded trustees of the Garfield Weston Foundation for allowing an associated company to make political donations to the Conservative Party.

Douglas Batchelor, chief executive of the League, noted the  timing of both releases in a statement about the Commission's guidance:

“The Commission has said that our Keep Cruelty History campaign, through which members of the public can find out where their candidates stand on repeal of the Hunting Act, is an entirely legitimate charitable activity.

"We’ll be focusing a great deal on this campaign in the run- up to the election, but we have to admit surprise that the Commission has chosen to release its reports on us and another charity just days before the likely calling of the General Election,” he said.

The Charity Commission declined to comment.