Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has called for an investigation into the funding of a group of right-wing lobby groups and charities.
Yesterday, the TaxPayers’ Alliance conceded that it illegally sacked whistleblower Shahmir Sanni for revealing unlawful overspending in the Brexit referendum campaign.
The organisation also did not contest that it is part of a network of nine think-tanks based at 55 Tufton Street who met each Tuesday to “co-ordinate public messaging” to secure “more media coverage than a single message from a single organisation”.
The network includes charities the Institute of Economic Affairs, Civitas Limited and The Global Warming Policy Foundation.
The Adam Smith Institute, which has a linked charitable organisation called the Adam Smith Research Trust, is also based at 55 Tufton Street. The TaxPayers' Alliance also has a linked charity, the Politics and Economics Research Trust.
Peter Daly of law firm Bindmans, who represented Sanni, said it was “extremely rare for the respondent to a whistleblowing claim to fully concede all aspects of a claim before disclosure and witness statement exchange has taken place”.
Chris Milsom, a barrister who specialises in whistleblowing cases, told the Guardian yesterday that it is likely the TaxPayers’ Alliance did not contest the claims because doing so would have required it to reveal its sources of funding in court.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell called for a full inquiry into the funding of all nine organisations involved.
He told the Guardian: “We need full transparency in who is operating in our political system and therefore seeking to influence both our elections but also our governmental policymaking.
“These organisations – even by their names – seek to portray themselves as independent, authoritative research bodies.”
Meanwhile, Karl Wilding, director of public policy and Volunteering at NCVO, said on social media: “The point in this story about the lack of transparency regarding donors seeking to influence our democracy is hardly new, but it nevertheless highlights that there is a problem that needs addressing.”
The point in this story about the lack of transparency regarding donors seeking to influence our democracy is hardly new, but it nevertheless highlights that there is a problem that needs addressing. https://t.co/dSokrGIkqq
— Karl Wilding (@karlwilding) November 11, 2018
Civil Society News has asked the Charity Commission whether it plans to investigate the sources of funding to the charities involved.
The charities have also been asked to comment.
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