The Charity Commission has rejected a claim by former government adviser Lord Walney that it is “toothless” and investigates organisations at a “painfully slow” pace.
Writing in the Times this week, Lord Walney criticised the regulator’s progress on its more than 130 open investigations including probes into charities “with suspected links to the Iranian state”.
Lord Walney, who left as the government’s adviser on political violence last month after four years, said: “The fact we are waiting years for these inquiries to complete, and then only to have little or no action at their conclusion, is unacceptable.”
The commission said its investigations are “rigorous and follow the evidence” and that it often orders charities to take action while its cases are ongoing.
Meanwhile, former ACEVO chief executive Stephen Bubb wrote in response to the Times that Lord Walney’s comments were “unfounded and appear ideologically driven”.
‘Glacial pace’
Lord Walney’s comments echoed a report by think tank Policy Exchange last year, which criticised the “snail’s pace at which the Charity Commission consistently operates”.
The think tank and Lord Walney both highlighted the commission’s ongoing statutory inquiry into the Islamic Centre of England, which opened in November 2022.
Lord Walney wrote this week: “The glacial pace points to an organisation which is failing to deploy its vast resources on what should be its first priority – the safety of the public.
“So leadership is needed – from the regulator and ultimately from the government.
“The Charity Commission, currently toothless, must show it can expedite its enormous backlog of investigations – or face being broken up.”
He added that ministers should “act to dispel the climate of fear that is frustrating effective action to protect our liberal British values from religious extremism”.
Commission: ‘Investigations into charities are rigorous’
In a response sent to Civil Society, a spokesperson for the commission said: “We take very seriously any alleged links between a charity and extremism or terrorism.
“Such links are abhorrent, and corrosive to the trust on which the charitable sector depends.
“We will always deal robustly with those who intentionally or recklessly misuse charities for malign purposes, and do not hesitate to take action in accordance with the law to protect the reputation of the sector as a whole.
“Our investigations into charities are rigorous and follow the evidence. Like any quasi-judicial process, thoroughness takes time, but we frequently require charities to take immediate steps to put things right whilst our investigations proceed.
“The interim manager we installed at the Islamic Centre of England has its events and speakers under their control, in place of its trustees, as our ongoing inquiry progresses.
“We will continue to take appropriate regulatory action, using the powers parliament has granted us.
“Links to terrorism and extremism often constitute criminal offences, which are for the police and relevant authorities to investigate. Where such links concern charities, we will assist the police in their work.”
Meanwhile, Bubb said in his letter: “Many of us working in charities will be surprised at Lord Walney’s comments on the Charity Commission and his apparent belief that it is the regulator’s job to investigate charities that do not promote ‘British values’.
“Quite apart from a debate on what might constitute ‘British values’, the role of the commission is to ensure that any charity operates for the public benefit, broadly defined.
“His alarmist remarks about the ‘toothless’ commission are unfounded and appear ideologically driven. They do a disservice to our charitable sector."
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