Martin Sime, the chief executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, has accused government ministers of launching attacks against charity campaigning which could impact the sector's ability to fundraise.
Sime told an audience of fundraisers at the Institute of Fundraising Scotland conference that attacks against charities and their ability to campaign directly impacts the people that charities are trying to help.
He said that if these attempts to “undermine campaigning” continue, it could risk “undermining public trust” in charities, making it more difficult to raise money for good causes.
“Ministers have recently accused us all of being left-wing, anti-business and full of Labour Party activists. This is part of an orchestrated attempt to undermine charity campaigning on behalf of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in our society – the very same people who are bearing the brunt of austerity policies and the politics of division and blame,” he said.
“The daftest thing of all about this attack is that if donors retreat the government will face rising costs”.
Sime referred to recent examples of where charities’ right to campaign has been threatened, including comments made by the short-lived minister for civil society Brooks Newmark and those by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne which accused charities of being “anti-business”.
“We’ve been told to stick to our knitting by disgraced minister Brooks Newmark and even the chancellor has railed against anti-poverty campaigners. Hostile legislation is attempting to limit civil rights and funding is being withdrawn from organisations who criticise government policies,” he said.
Sime went on to say that charities’ right to campaign for a fairer society and to protect the rights of citizens is “non-negotiable”.
He added: “Charities seems to be on a collision course with the UK government and this could have severe consequences, particularly when public generosity is such a vital component to so many good things in public life.”
