Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has sent a complaint about charitable think tank the IPPR to the Charity Commission, saying a report it produced is essentially a “donation in kind” to the Labour Party.

This week Labour Leader Ed Miliband gave a speech to launch IPPR’s new report entitled the ‘Condition of Britain’.

Speaking to Civil Society News, Elphicke said: "It is vital that charities uphold their commitment not to support political parties - and by doing work for the Labour party the IPPR has essentially made a donation in kind. This needs to be investigated so that we can protect the public's trust in the independence of the charitable sector."

An IPPR spokesman said his organisation was completely independent of any political party.

“We have not been commissioned by any political party and our work is freely available to members of all parties and the wider public," he said. "Just last week we hosted an event with Conservative Minister Greg Barker and earlier this year hosted Liberal Democrat Minister Ed Davey.”

As well as writing to the Charity Commission, Elphicke has also written to the Electoral Commission.