29 January 2014
"This gagging law is a sinister development not fit for our democracy,” said leading Green Andrew Cooper responding with concern to the passing of the "Charities Gagging Law."
“Charities and Trades Unions will be silenced while lobbyists for rich special interests continue as usual,” continued Andrew Cooper, who is lead Yorkshire and the Humber candidate in the European elections.
The new law - properly the Transparency of Lobbying, Non Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill - means that Campaign groups will have to register and report on their spending if over £10,000 in one constituency during the year before an election. It is expected that the bureaucratic burden and the fear of getting it wrong will silence many.
“With European elections May 2014, and a general election in 2015 this would silence the Government's critics for nearly two years!
“Food banks, welfare advisors and women's refuges could struggle to question the welfare reforms that leave their clients destitute. Housing and homeless charities could be silenced on the bedroom tax,” Cllr Cooper ended.
“We can expect attacks on charities and Trade Unions soon. Now this law is on the books, the Government will be on the attack against its critics."
Conservative MPs have already attacked the RSPCA via the Charity Commission for their work around animal welfare (1).