Lobbying bill must remove gag on children's charities
Ravi Chandiramani
Monday, September 2, 2013
When he was leader of the opposition, David Cameron famously proclaimed that lobbying was "the next big scandal waiting to happen". Cue several undercover sting operations where journalists passed themselves off as lobbyists representing commercial interests to expose politicians accepting cash in return for using their political influence. Cameron waited. It happened.
Belatedly, the government has brought its Transparency of Lobbying Bill before Parliament, pledging to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists, and rightly so. But in seeking to tackle one scandal, the bill threatens to create another (see p14). Published the day before MPs broke up for their summer recess, the bill threatens to muzzle children's charities and campaign groups in the 12 months before a general election.
How? It proposes to slash the amount charities in general are permitted to spend on campaign activity during this period by around 60 per cent. And although such groups are already bound by charity law and therefore cannot be party political, the bill radically widens the definition of activity that can be deemed as being for "electoral purposes" and outlawed. Even the Electoral Commission has said the restrictions are unclear and that the bill in its current state would be unenforceable.
What does this all mean for the children's sector? In its current form, the lobbying bill could silence debates on child poverty, on welfare payments, on the squeeze on services such as children's centres and youth clubs, and on the acute need to get more young people into further education, training and employment. It will suppress the voices and the needs of society's most vulnerable. As ever, we can count on the main political parties to concentrate their efforts on gaining votes in marginal constituencies and appeasing the populist sections of the media. It is particularly at election time that the campaigning work of charities needs desperately to be heard.
So a bill that was intended to curtail the influence of big business in the political process could leave the most vulnerable even more vulnerable. Here we have another scandal waiting to happen. The lobbying bill is due to undergo its second reading this week. In the interests of democracy and civil society, it must be amended urgently.
Congratulations to all those on the awards shortlist
Thank you to all the projects and individuals that entered this year's Children & Young People Now Awards from across the UK. This week we can reveal the shortlists across all 21 categories - congratulations if you have made the cut (see p22). Nick Hurd, the Cabinet Office minister, will open this year's ceremony at London's Hurlingham Club on 27 November. We are also looking for a talented youth act to perform live on the night - see the advert on the facing page for details.
