An attack on all charities

Friday 27 September 2019

NCVO's new chief executive, Karl Wilding, responds to Labour's proposals on the independent sector on Twitter:

"[Labour's] proposals are at odds with current charity law and the principle of public benefit. Implementing them will take primary legislation overturning 400 years if charity law. Their implementation will have consequences beyond independent schools with charitable status.

"The principle of public benefit is fundamental. If independent schools have charitable purposes and pass the public benefit test, then they are charities. This applies to other fee-charging charities too.

"Parliament has determined that the Charity Commission should be the body that determines who is and who is not a charity, on the basis of charitable purposes and the public benefit test.

"Nationalising charitable assets - which have been gifted by donors - is not unprecedented. But it would be extraordinary in modern times. It would represent a fundamental shift in the relationship between charities and the state."