Sections in the lobbying bill which charities fear will restrict their campaigning are set to be removed by government, according to two newspaper reports today.

According to The Independent, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg plans to back an amendment by a group of five Liberal Democrat MPs that would remove clauses in the lobbying bill which suggest charities would be considered to be influencing an election, if they took a policy position on a political candidate.

A spokesman for Liberal Democrat MP John Thurso confirmed he has today tabled an amendment to the lobbying bill on this issue.

And according to The Guardian, the government plans to accept in principle the change proposed by this group of Liberal Democrat MPs, but will table its own amendment along similar lines.

Etherington to meet Lansley

Elsewhere, Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO and Karl Wilding, head of policy at NCVO, will meet Andrew Lansley, leader of the House of Commons, amid mounting disquiet over the lobbying bill.

An NCVO spokesman said: "We look forward to meeting Mr Lansley and will listen carefully to his proposals. It's crucial that charities and community groups can have confidence on where they stand in law."

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