Acevo and NCVO have vowed to scrutinise the impact of the lobbying bill after it was passed by the House of Lords last night, without reinstating two amendments which would have reduced its impact on charities.

Last week the Commons voted to overturn the amendments, on staffing costs and constituency limits, tabled by Lord Harries and favoured by the Lords. 

The Lords debated MPs' changes yesterday. A coalition of charities and campaigning groups had taken out full-page adverts in national newspapers urging Lords to vote in favour of Lord Harries’ amendments.

The vote on including staffing costs in campaign spend was tied, meaning it will remain in the bill. 

Lord Harries, who chairs the Commission on Civil Society and Democratic Engagement, has warned that separating the cost of time spent by staff on campaigning activity from others would be a “bureaucratic nightmare”.

The Lords rejected the amendment on constituency limits by 249 votes to 231. Peers also accepted the government’s preferred position on special advisers – they will not be included on the register of lobbyists but the government could introduce regulations to include them in the future.

Keeping pressure on the government

Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo, said: “We are proud of the work on the Commission on Civil Society, which Acevo helped set up. They achieved significant concessions from government.”

He added: “The matter does not finish today. Acevo will be monitoring the impact of the bill.” And, he said, Acevo will “continue to agitate for political parties to revise this bad bill in light of our evidence after the 2015 election”.

Karl Wilding, director of policy at NCVO, said: “This legislation is in much better shape than when we first raised concerns about it in the summer, but it will still cause much worry for charities as well as creating a substantial administrative burden.”

He said NCVO was working with the Electoral Commission about how the law will be implemented and, like Acevo, will monitor the impact of the law in preparation for a review after the general election.

Charities should ignore lobbying bill

Last night Vicky Dunn, Green Party candidate for the 2014 European Parliament elections, tweeted: “Campaigners and charities should ignore the #gaggingbill and choke up @ChtyCommission [Charity Commission] system with cases. Bad laws invite civil disobedience.”