The charity sector is no stranger to warm words from governments (and would-be governments) of all political hues.
For example, here are some charity-related statements from some election manifestos from both the Conservative and Labour parties over the past few decades. Can you remember, or tell, which party said what?
“An independent and creative voluntary sector, committed to voluntary activity as an expression of citizenship, is central to our vision of a stakeholder society.”
“Britain has a proud and long-standing charitable tradition, and we are convinced that the voluntary sector should play a major part in our civic renewal.”
“And we stand for those who give their time to help others – the charities, community groups and volunteers who already do so much to make our country a better place.”
“[We] will seek involvement from industry, trade unions, and civil society in our plans for growth, so they can contribute to building a stronger economy in all parts of the country.”
Action not words
These statements were all made in election winning manifestos. Yet, the action taken after winning power is what really counts.
The charity sector has not always felt, despite statements such as the above, valued or supported by recent governments.
However, there was a degree of cautious optimism at the noises made by Keir Starmer and his Labour colleagues in the run up to the general election.
Perhaps most eye-catching was Starmer’s comments when he addressed the Civil Society Summit, organised by Pro-Bono Economics.
He said: “Labour will not write off the contribution of civil society. We know that you are often the link between the local and the national.”
He added that “civil society is not just a nice news story in a local paper, something we can feel warm and fluffy about. It’s essential if we’re going to get our economy back on track and achieve the highest sustained growth in the G7”.
Could this time be different?
This week is Charity Finance Week and, this year, the theme is “operating in a new era”.
This reflects the change in power in Westminster, which will undoubtedly affect many charities’ work. But is it really a new era for the relationship between the sector and Westminster?
It is, of course, still early days but there are some signs of an improvement.
For example, at a fringe event at the Labour Party conference, Sarah Elliott, chief executive of NCVO, said that charity sector bodies are working with the government on a new agreement.
This will be similar to the Compact which was created under Tony Blair’s prime ministership.
This new agreement, which Elliott said culture secretary Lisa Nandy is referring to as a “covenant”, is expected to launch in 2025.
Time will tell what shape this takes and how the relationship will evolve.
There will undoubtedly be some areas where charities and government have different views – and it is healthy for the sector to be in a position to challenge power when needed.
However, early signs seem to suggest the atmosphere in Westminster is warmer towards charities.
Oh, and those manifesto quotes? They were, in order, from Labour in 1997 (under Tony Blair’s leadership), Conservative in 2010 (David Cameron), Conservative in 2019 (Boris Johnson) and Labour in 2024 (Keir Starmer).
I’ll leave you to be the judge on each of these governments’ legacy with the charity sector.
Tristan Blythe is editor of Charity Finance
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