All of the four remaining candidates running to become the next leader of the Conservative party and prime minister of the country have links to charities.
So far, candidates have centred their leadership bids on rebuilding the economy and reuniting a polarised political landscape rather than civil society policy, but many have expressed opinions on charity issues in recent years.
Out of the remaining candidates, only one holds a formal role in a charity, according to our analysis. However, many are patrons, an informal role where someone well known lends their name to an organisation in way of support.
We’ve compiled a list of the charities the candidates are affiliated with, and what they have said about civil society over the years.
Rishi Sunak
Former chancellor of the exchequer, Rishi Sunak, is a patron of the National Osteoporosis Support Group, Leyburn Brass Band and Wensleydale Wheels community transport project.
During his time as chancellor, Sunak repeatedly pledged funds to the levelling up agenda which is said to provide billions for charities. However, his spring budget this year was ill-met within the sector, with Centrepoint calling it a “missed opportunity” and Mencap branding it “bitterly disappointing.”
Sunak also cut the overseas aid budget to 0.5% of the UK’s Gross National Income (GNI) in November 2020 due to the costs of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite calls from the sector to restore it earlier, Sunak announced in the 2021 Autumn Budget that it could return to the recommended 0.7% GNI in 2024-2025. Many charities said this was not good enough.
After announcing an energy bill rebate amounting to £400 per household in May, Sunak pledged to donate the same amount to charity. As it is thought he owned up to four properties with his wife, this could be a donation of £1,600.
However, the ex-chancellor is yet to state publicly to which charity the donation will go.
Penny Mordaunt
MP for Portsmouth North since 2010, Penny Mordaunt is one of the only candidates with a formal role in a charity. She is the minister of state for trade policy and was previously the secretary for international development.
When she was in the role in 2018, she criticised international aid charities and said they failed to put beneficiaries first and lose sight of their values after a slew of cases of sexual exploitation by aid workers.
Mordaunt is a trustee of Wymering Manor Trust, a charity that focuses on the restoration of Wymering Manor, the oldest building in the city of Portsmouth, which was first recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book.
She has previously held director posts at Diabetes UK and the Big Lottery Fund in 2006.
Liz Truss
Foreign secretary and minister for women and equalities, Liz Truss does not have any formal or informal roles in a charity.
In January, she encouraged ministers to distance themselves from Stonewall and its Diversity Champions scheme which provides advice on creating an inclusive environment for LGBT people. She said it “was not value for money”.
Truss’ new international development strategy has made cuts to multilateral spending but pledged to prioritise women and girls, step up humanitarian work and tackle climate change. ActionAid called the strategy a “step backwards” and many charities called on the foreign secretary to restore the aid budget.
In her leadership bid, Truss has pledged to cut taxes, reverse the National Insurance hike and reform business rates.
Kemi Badenoch
MP for Saffron Walden Kemi Badenoch has served as minister of state for local government, faith and communities and minister of state for equalities between 2021 and 2022.
She is a patron of three charities – Support 4 Sight, Mind in West Essex and the Council for Voluntary Services in Uttlesford.
Her website states she provides regular mentoring to women who wish to pursue careers in technology.
Last year, when twenty Conservative MPs complained to the Charity Commission that the Runnymede Trust had “woke ideas”, Badenoch responded: “It is important that we in government do not inadvertently promote people who are pushing divisive narratives, and I will look into [his request] and see what we can do across the house and across government.”
Badenoch conducted a report on rape and sexual assault on men which encouraged the mayor of London to donate £78,000 to Survivors UK.
In a campaign speech last week, she said: “We’ve pandered to pressure groups and caved into every campaigner with a moving message and that has made the government agenda into a disconnected, unworkable and unsustainable list of policies.”
Ex-candidates
Recently-appointed chancellor Nadhim Zahawi is a patron of Kissing It Better, a healthcare charity that works to end the isolation of old age. He is former vaccines minister and led the Covid vaccination drive.
A local branch of Citizens Advice Bureau dropped the politician from chairing a meeting about unfair energy bills in 2013 after it emerged he claimed over £5,000 in expenses for his heating and electricity.
In 2018, the MP came into controversy after attending a men-only charity dinner where sexual harassment was alleged to have taken place. The event’s organiser, the Presidents Club charity, was forced to close shortly after.
Zahawi said he only attended for an hour and a half and left because he felt “uncomfortable”. He said he condemned the events that occurred there and was unaware they had taken place.
During his failed leadership campaign, he said: “I think on reflection, including the charity itself, those all-male dinners are wrong.”
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt is a trustee of Patient Safety Watch, a charity he founded. His website states he also helped to set up a charity called Nyumbani which helps AIDS orphans in Africa.
Hunt recently revealed that everyone in his family has had cancer, including himself. Because of this, he will be running Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life this month to raise funds and awareness.
This was the second time Hunt ran a prime ministerial bid. He reached the final stage of the process in 2019, coming second place to Boris Johnson.
Tom Tugendghat is a former soldier and chairman of the foreign affairs committee. An MP since 2015, he is a patron of the Bridge Trust, a homelessness charity.
In his register of interests, he has donated several payments made for articles to charity.
Attorney general Suella Braverman was previously on the advisory board for a charity called New Schools Network. She was the founding chair of governors at free school Michaela Community School.
Braverman led the all-party parliamentary group on financial education for young people's inquiry with the charity Young Enterprise.
Sajid Javid briefly ran for leadership of the Conservative Party after resigning from Boris Johnson’s cabinet. Formerly secretary of state for health and social care, this was the second time Javid ran for leadership of the party after being knocked out in one of the final rounds in 2019.
Javid is a patron of Primrose Hospice, a Worcestershire-based charity. He has visited the hospice and ran 10k which raised £20,000 for the institution.
Rehman Chishti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham since 2010, also dropped out of the race last week.
Chishti’s website details how he has fundraised for many charities via various challenges. In 2020, he ran the London Marathon for Aid to the Church in Need. He has raised funds for Medway Hospital Radio, Take Heart Mercy Mission, MHS Homes and more.
Editor's note
This article has been updated to reflect the candidates that are no longer in the running. 19.07.22.
This article has been corrected to reflect that Liz Truss is not the vice patron of the Ulysses Trust - that is James Cleverly MP. Truss has no formal or informal roles in a charity. 01.09.22.
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