Following the announcement of a General Election in July, the Charity Commission have issued guidance for charities to understand the rules on political activity and campaigning now that a general election has been called.
In summary, charities can take part in political activity that supports their charitable purposes and is in their best interests and many charities will see the election as a good opportunity to highlight issues faced by their beneficiaries. However when doing so, charities must follow the law and there are specific restrictions. The following are some examples taken from the Charity Commission guidance. Please read the full guidance linked below for more information and other restrictions on charities.
Charities can:
- Support or raise concerns about a particular policy from a specific political party and be involved in discussions to influence that policy, so long as you are clear that you are an independent charity and that the policy is related to advancing your charitable purposes;
- Ask an MP or other political figure to speak at an event such as the launch of a new project but ensure that they do not use it as an opportunity to promote party political messages.
Charities cannot:
- give support or funding to political parties, candidates or politicians, including allowing your property to be used for free only by one political party
Please read the full guidance from the Charity Commission below which explains the restrictions in more detail and gives examples, or contact advice@rva.org.uk if you are unsure: